The Huzhou municipal bureau of sports and their partners at Alibaba Sports jointly released the "Huzhou Sports Code", a mini program embedded in the mobile app Alipay, on Aug 8.

Through the program, residents in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, can generate their own QR code, which helps them make reservations in the city's sports grounds and gyms as well as keep a detailed record of their sports data.

The program alters the color of the QR code for a particular person according to his or her advised amount - and actual amount - of physical exercise over the latest seven days. For example, the code's initial color is always blue but will turn grey if the person stays still. The code will turn emerald green if the person's daily calorie consumption from doing sports has exceeded 260.

"The sports activities that consume 260 calories can be walking for 6,800 steps or playing basketball for 30 minutes," said Mu Yang, vice-president of Alibaba Sports. Mu stressed that "Huzhou Sports Code", which reflects the user's physical condition in five colors, is a true Chinese innovation.

The amount of physical exercise is stored as sports credits in the program, and these can be exchanged for goods and services at the city's shopping sites. Mu believes this arrangement will incentivize the general public to do more exercise.

"The development of 'Huzhou Sports Code' is part of our efforts to build a better mass sports service system and to create better conditions for our citizens to keep fit," said Song Jie, director of the Huzhou municipal bureau of sports.