President Xi Jinping Opens 15th National Games
Chinese President Xi Jinping officially declared open the 15th National Games of China on Sunday evening at the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center, marking a historic first for the event as it is co-hosted by Guangdong Province together with the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.
The opening ceremony, attended by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry and IOC Honorary President for Life Thomas Bach, combined dazzling cultural performances with cutting-edge technology.
The spectacle highlighted the vitality and innovation of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — one of China’s most dynamic and internationally connected regions.
“This ceremony was an amazing blend of culture, technology and sport,” Coventry remarked, praising China’s growing role as a global sporting powerhouse.
The torch relay reflected themes of collaboration and sustainability. The flame was ignited from combustible ice extracted 1,522 meters beneath the South China Sea — a symbol of China’s technological progress. The cauldron was jointly lit by Guangdong sprinter Su Bingtian, Hong Kong Olympic fencing champion Cheung Ka-long, and Macao wushu gold medalist Li Yi, representing unity among the three regions.
Running through November 21, the Games will feature 419 gold-medal events across 34 competitive sports and an additional 166 gold medals in 23 amateur and exhibition categories. Over 20,000 athletes will compete in the final phase, with organizers emphasizing the expanded program’s goal of promoting broad participation and inclusivity.
Key events will be distributed among the host regions: Guangdong will stage athletics, basketball, football and swimming; Hong Kong will host fencing, golf and beach volleyball; while Macao will host table tennis, 3×3 basketball, and women’s volleyball.
IOC President Coventry lauded the event’s scale and significance, saying, “The National Games, with 25,000 athletes across so many age groups, are unique and create a great sense of unity. China is a real powerhouse in international sport.”
Organizers hailed the joint hosting as a milestone in the 66-year history of the National Games, underscoring it as a symbol of the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy in the realm of sport.
First held in 1959, the National Games remain China’s largest and most prestigious multi-sport competition, serving as a vital platform for nurturing athletic talent and promoting national cohesion through sport.