Leisure sports programs for the Asian Beach Games could help improve Chinese lifestyles, a senior sports official said Friday in Beijing.

Feng Jianzhong (R) and Huang Sheng jointly launch the recruitment activity of the motto, slogan and emblem of the 3rd Asian Beach Games on Friday in Beijing. [CRIENGLISH.com]

The official made the comment after a press conference to recruit the motto, slogan and emblem for the 3rd Asian Beach Games, which is scheduled to be held in 2012 in Haiyang, a coastal city in eastern China's Shandong Province.

The biennial Beach Games, together with the Asian Games, the Asian Winter Games and the Asian Indoor Games, are the four major sporting events in Asia.

Different from professional sports competitions in the Olympics, most Beach Games events are 'leisure sports' such as beach volleyball, and dragon boat racing and street dancing.

Feng Jianzhong, vice director of the General Administration of Sports of China, says the Beach Games might also improve lifestyles by combining sports with travel and entertainment. "With the improvement of living standards, Chinese people need changes. The combination of sports and leisure is just one such good way to help people arrive that end."

A computer-generated image of a stadium designed for the 3rd Asian Beach Games in Haiyang of eastern China's Shandong Province. [File photo: haiyang2012.cn]

With a coastline stretching 230 kilometres and a vast golden beach, Haiyang is one of the best venues for leisure and beach games.

The 3rd Asian Beach Games will attract 45 Asian countries and regions, competing in 124 events of 20 sports. Preparations of the Games are now underway with the management of the 3rd Asian Beach Games Organizing Committee.

During the 1st Asian Beach Games held in October, 2008 in Bali, Indonesia, China ranked third with 6 gold, 10 silver and 7 bronze medals. The 2nd event will be held in Muscat, Oman in 2010.