The 13th Chinese National Games was officially kicked off on Sunday night in Tianjin, with overseas Chinese athletes allowed to participate in the games for the first time.
Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the country's premier multi-sport event, and among those present at the ceremony was President of International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, who's on a visit to Beijing to inspecting the preparations for the 2022 Winter Games.
The opening ceremony highlighted the Chinese dream and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
A total of 8,838 athletes will compete in the games during the 13-day event, which involves 33 major competition events and 417 smaller events, Li Yingchuan, vice minister of China's General Administration of Sport, said at a press conference in Tianjin on Sunday.
The games feature 19 public events for the masses, 17 of which had been finished before the opening ceremony.
The medal tally ranking of the provincial teams has been abolished, and another reform introduced this year is to allow overseas Chinese athletes to compete in the games, in a bid to attract overseas talents.
Chinese who have obtained foreign citizenship, descendants of Chinese immigrants and Chinese citizens who are residing abroad are eligible to apply for the games.
The 13th Chinese National Games was officially kicked off on Sunday night in Tianjin, with overseas Chinese athletes allowed to participate in the games for the first time.
Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the country's premier multi-sport event, and among those present at the ceremony was President of International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, who's on a visit to Beijing to inspecting the preparations for the 2022 Winter Games.
The opening ceremony highlighted the Chinese dream and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
A total of 8,838 athletes will compete in the games during the 13-day event, which involves 33 major competition events and 417 smaller events, Li Yingchuan, vice minister of China's General Administration of Sport, said at a press conference in Tianjin on Sunday.
The games feature 19 public events for the masses, 17 of which had been finished before the opening ceremony.
The medal tally ranking of the provincial teams has been abolished, and another reform introduced this year is to allow overseas Chinese athletes to compete in the games, in a bid to attract overseas talents.
Chinese who have obtained foreign citizenship, descendants of Chinese immigrants and Chinese citizens who are residing abroad are eligible to apply for the games.
