Gou made the comments at an IWUF Executive Board meeting last week. 

IWUF Honorary President Yu Zaiqing was also in attendance, with many participants attending virtually due to the global health crisis. 

It was the first IWUF Executive Board meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has halted sport worldwide. 

Gou referenced this in his opening address and encouraged members to "strive to promote the development of international wushu in all aspects".

He also mentioned Dakar 2026, which was pushed back from 2022 in July as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"We must make great efforts towards the preparation for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, in order to present a memorable, spectacular and high-level wushu competition for the audiences around the world," Gou said. 

Wushu was added to the Dakar 2026 programme in January. 

It was among the initial contenders to be selected as an additional sport at next year's Olympic Games in Tokyo, but ultimately failed to reach the final shortlist.

The sport has been contested at the Asian Games and was on the programme at the third African Youth Games in Algiers in 2018.

Wushu will debut at the Youth Olympic Games, although it appeared in the "Sports Lab" at Nanjing 2014. 

During the meeting, the Executive Board also heard the financial report by IWUF treasurer Ang Mong Seng and IWUF Ethics Committee progress report. 

The Board also approved a number of documents which further regulate the wushu competition certification systems and training markets, and updated COVID-19 guidelines and recommendations for member associations.