BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhuanet) -- NBA will further cooperate with Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) to popularize the game in China and promote it to more countries in the world, said Adam Silver, president of NBA Entertainment, at the sports round-table meeting of the Ninth Fortune Global Forum here on Monday.

    "It's no doubt that Chinese like NBA games," said Silver, citing a latest survey which says China now has about 300 million people playing basketball and 40 percent of the country's childrenregard basketball as their favorite sport.

    The survey also shows that four of every five sports stars adored by Chinese children come from NBA, and 75 percent of young people aged between 15 to 24 are lovers of the game, with the ratio even up to 97 percent in large cities like Beijing, Shanghaiand Guangzhou.

    Silver said NBA has many cooperative projects with China and hoped the relationship will be further enhanced. Last year, NBA held its pre-season games in China for the first time.

    He said Chinese fans can now watch eight NBA matches via 15 TV stations every week with each match attracting about 30 million audience. Meanwhile, NBA also opened its official Chinese-languagewebsite in 2002, which reported a record-high 15 million visitors last year.

    He also spoke highly of the role Yao Ming has played in promoting the game to more common people. Yao rose to stardom quickly after joining Houston Rockets as No. 1 pick in the NBA's annual draft of incoming talent.

    He declared that Basketball without Borders, a project to promote the game worldwide, will make its debut in China this Julyas part of a global tour. NBA stars, including Yao Ming, will comehere to play and exchange ideas with youth.

    "We hope this activity can help spread the sports spirit among Chinese and attract mass participation in the game. We are fully aware of our heavy duties, which are to foster love for basketballand promote fair competition," Silver said.

    The sports round-table meeting of the Fortune Global Forum is specifically targeted at the rapid development of China's sports undertakings and opportunities mushrooming during the process, according to sources with the forum. Enditem