On the afternoon of July 6, 2026, the 43rd IWUF Executive Board Meeting was successfully held in Haikou, China. The meeting was chaired by IWUF President Gao Zhidan. Vice Governor of Hainan Province Xie Jing delivered a welcome speech.
The meeting reviewed and approved the minutes of the 42nd IWUF Executive Board Meeting, and heard the Secretary General's work report for 2025-2026, the Treasurer's financial report for 2025, and the work reports of the five continental wushu federations for 2025–2026.
President Gao noted that wushu has been successfully included as an official sport in the 2027 African Games, 2029 The World Games, and the 2029 Islamic Solidarity Games, reflecting its growing international influence and recognition. In light of the IOC's "Fit for the Future" strategic direction, the global wushu community must proactively embrace change and innovation, engaging younger generations with a more open approach to ignite teenagers' passion for practicing wushu. Simultaneously, we must intensify our efforts in the lead-up to the Dakar Youth Olympic Games, fully showcase wushu's unique charm and contemporary value to the world, and continuously advance the process of including wushu in the Olympic program.
President Gao emphasized that this year marks the inaugural year of the implementation of the IWUF's five-year development plan. It is essential to build consensus and take pragmatic actions, translating the planning blueprint into tangible development outcomes. Efforts should also be made to delve deeper into the cultural connotations of wushu and to educate through its practice, fully grasping the profound cultural heritage that wushu embodies, and persevering over time to promote wushu culture and the spirit of wushu ethics. Furthermore, we must unite in our endeavors and pursue win-win cooperation, fostering a new paradigm of global wushu governance based on extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, together writing a new chapter in the development of wushu worldwide.
The meeting heard the bidding presentations for several official IWUF events for 2028–2030 and members decided to award the hosting rights as follows: the 2028 11th World Junior Wushu Championships to Cairo, Egypt; the 2028 6th World Taijiquan Championships to Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy; the 2028 5th Taolu World Cup to Qingdao, China; the 2028 12th Sanda World Cup to Haikou, China; the 2030 12th World Junior Wushu Championships to Catania, Italy; and the 2030 7th World Taijiquan Championships to Paris, France. The meeting also confirmed the dates for the 2027 11th World Kungfu Championships in Jiangyin, China, and the 2027 18th World Wushu Championships in Manila, the Philippines.
The Executive Board decided to award IWUF Honorary Vice President Titles to Mr. Zhang Xiangdu, Chairman Special Assistant of Li-Ning (China) Sports Goods Co., Ltd., and Mr. Li Pengcheng, Senior Executive President of Mengniu Group.
In addition, the meeting reviewed and approved the provisional membership of the Santomean Wushu Association and the Suriname Wushu Association, bringing the total number of IWUF member federations to 164. Topics also discussed at the meeting included commonwealth wushu events and the renewal of the IWUF brand and visual identity.
It was decided that the 44th Executive Board Meeting would be held during the 18th World Wushu Championships in November 2027.
