China's players celebrate with the trophy after their win in the AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 football final match between China and South Korea in Navi Mumbai on February 6, 2022. Photo: VCG

Chinese authorities announced Monday that the country will promote an all-round development of women's soccer by 2035, work hard on both popularizing the sport in the society and increase professional athletes' competitiveness. 

According to the plan issued jointly by the General Administration of Sport of China, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and the Chinese Football Association (CFA), China will bid to host the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2031 and is expected to become one of the world's best women's soccer teams. 

To achieve this goal, the Chinese team aim to reach the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games, and finally get a place in the top three of those two games in 2031 and 2032 respectively. 

The plan also emphasizes popularizing women's soccer. It states that the population of women participating in the sport and the degree of its popularity will greatly increase, and soccer will become a popular sport for women.

"It is important to make more people participate in this sport," said Yan Qiang, founder of Score Sports, a sports industry service group in China. "The policy will promote gender equality in sports, creating more opportunities for women players in soccer. It will also encourage more women to enjoy the sport and improve their fitness." 

To popularize women's soccer, the most efficient way is to start with teenagers. In China, many schools have already set up courses in soccer, encouraging every woman who is interested in the sport to play it.

The establishment of a professional women's soccer club will become one of the conditions for a Chinese Super League club. China will improve the women's soccer league quality and its brand value, while expanding its influence, the plan says.

In February, the Chinese women's national soccer team beat South Korea 3-2 from two goals down in the dramatic final of the AFC Women's Asian Cup and won its record-extending 9th title since the last championship in 2006. Countless soccer fans shed tears behind the scenes for the incredible feat. 

"If faith has a color, it must be China red!" The Chinese Football Association said as it congratulated them over their epic game, nicknaming them "steel roses, the pride of China."