Previously, wushu figured significantly in the simple matter of survival through China's many wars and political upheaval. Today, wushu has been organized and systematized into a formal branch of study in the performance arts by the Chinese.
It reigns as the most popular national sport in the country of 1.1 billion people, practiced by the young and old alike. It's emphasis has shifted from combat to performance, and it is practiced for its method of achieving heath, self-defense skills, mental discipline, recreational pursuit and competition. Wushu was a demonstration event during the 2008 Beijing and 1936 Berlin Olympic Games but has never been an Olympic competitive event.
The International Wushu federatioin (IWUF) is the international governing body for Wushu and is bidding for inclusion in upcoming Olympic Games. The Wushu Association of Trinidad and Tobago is the active IWUF affiliate for Trinidad and Tobago.