Guangzhou, China – November 9, 2025 – In a dazzling display of cultural heritage, technological prowess, and regional harmony, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the 15th National Games of the People's Republic of China open on Sunday evening at the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center. The event, co-hosted by Guangdong Province, Hong Kong, and Macao for the first time in its 66-year history, marks a pivotal moment in China's sports landscape, underscoring the nation's drive toward becoming a global sports powerhouse while fostering deeper integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
The opening ceremony, attended by over 60,000 spectators, blended ancient Lingnan traditions with cutting-edge innovations, captivating audiences with performances that evoked the mythical Ao Fish – a dragon-like creature symbolizing prosperity – soaring through the night sky alongside vibrant lion dances and synchronized projections of iconic GBA landmarks like Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, Macao's Ruins of St. Paul's, and Guangzhou's Canton Tower. Fireworks erupted in the shape of the kapok flower, Guangzhou's emblematic bloom since 1982, signifying resilience and renewal in southern China's tropical climate. The cauldron was lit collaboratively by three trailblazing athletes: Guangdong's Olympic sprinter Su Bingtian, Hong Kong's fencing gold medalist Cheung Ka-long, and Macao's wushu champion Li Yi, whose flames converged from the earlier cross-boundary torch relay, symbolizing the seamless unity of the three host regions.
Xi, accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan, waved to the crowd as an eight-member People's Liberation Army honor guard escorted the national flag into the stadium amid resounding cheers and the strains of the national anthem, which he sang along with. In a brief address, the president emphasized the Games' role in advancing "Chinese modernization" and building a "community with a shared future for humanity" through sports. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, delivering remarks on behalf of the co-hosts, described the occasion as an "immense honour," inviting global visitors to experience the vibrancy of the GBA firsthand. Macao Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai echoed this sentiment, calling the event a "living embodiment of integrated development."
Earlier in the day, Xi engaged in high-level diplomacy that highlighted China's growing influence in international sports governance. At the Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center, he held discussions with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry and Honorary President for Life Thomas Bach, who were in attendance for the ceremony. Xi pledged to deepen "high-level cooperation" between Beijing and the IOC, vowing that China would assume a more prominent role in global sports affairs. "The Olympic spirit is an important part of human civilization, carrying people's aspirations for a better world," Xi stated, drawing parallels to China's vision of global harmony. Coventry praised China's contributions to the Olympic Movement, noting the "tremendous dynamism" of the GBA as a testament to the nation's modernization efforts. Bach, reflecting on recent collaborations like the Harbin Asian Winter Games earlier in 2025, remarked on the transition from "ice and snow" to Guangzhou's "warm, spring-like" embrace, underscoring the breadth of China's hosting capabilities.
Prior to the ceremony, Xi met with a delegation of China's elite athletes, commending their pivotal contributions to elevating the country's status on the world stage. He highlighted their embodiment of perseverance and national pride, aligning with Beijing's strategic ambitions in sports as a driver of soft power and public health. This interaction set an inspirational tone, reinforcing the Games' dual focus on competitive excellence and grassroots participation.
The 15th National Games, running through November 21, represent a historic departure from tradition. First inaugurated in 1959, the quadrennial event has previously been hosted by single provinces, with Beijing claiming the inaugural four editions and the seventh, while Guangdong itself staged the sixth in 1987 and ninth in 2001. This edition's co-hosting model – the first involving multiple administrative regions – spans 15 cities across the GBA, a megaregion of 86 million people and economic output rivaling global powerhouses like South Korea. The opening in Guangzhou gives way to the closing in Shenzhen on November 21, bookending a fortnight of competition that showcases the area's interconnected infrastructure.
Structurally, the Games encompass 34 competitive sports with 401 events and 23 mass participation disciplines featuring 166 events, drawing over 20,000 athletes from across China's 34 provincial-level divisions. Competitive highlights include Olympic-aligned disciplines like athletics, swimming, and basketball, augmented by non-Olympic staples such as diving, weightlifting, and track cycling. Youth categories now incorporate team sports like basketball, football, and volleyball, broadening accessibility. Mass events emphasize inclusivity, featuring popular pursuits like table tennis and badminton alongside Lingnan cultural gems such as dragon boat racing, lion dancing, and wushu.
The co-hosting arrangement distributes events strategically: Guangdong shoulders the bulk, including athletics in Guangzhou and swimming in Foshan; Hong Kong hosts eight competitive segments like fencing at AsiaWorld-Expo, men's U22 basketball, track cycling, golf, handball, rugby sevens, triathlon, and beach volleyball, plus mass bowling; Macao stages four, encompassing table tennis, 3x3 basketball, and women's volleyball. Groundbreaking cross-boundary races amplify the integration theme: a 231.8-kilometer men's road cycling event traverses the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge six times uninterrupted, linking all three regions at speeds over 40 km/h, while a marathon weaves through Shenzhen and Hong Kong. These feats, coordinated via streamlined customs for torches and gear, exemplify the GBA's "one-hour living circle."
Preparations have injected vitality into the region. Over 160,000 volunteers – including 1,000 teenagers from Hong Kong – mobilized alongside 3,500 from Macao, transforming streets with promotional motifs and theme songs. Smart tech abounds: Guangzhou deploys 300+ autonomous vehicles for shuttles and sanitation, while Hong Kong's police use drones for 3D venue mapping. Venues, 90% pre-existing, minimize costs and environmental impact, aligning with sustainable development goals.
The torch relay, launched a week prior, further embodied this spirit. On November 2, flames ignited simultaneously in Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen before merging in Guangzhou, featuring the world's first 5G-A humanoid torchbearer, Kuavo, interacting with locals. Hong Kong film director Andrew Lau Wai-keung, chief producer of the ceremony, described the co-hosting as a family reunion, "sharing the same cultural roots." Torchbearer Timothy Fok Tsun-ting of Hong Kong's Sports Federation noted it as his third relay, following Beijing 2008 and Guangzhou's 2010 Asian Games.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning captured the broader narrative on X (formerly Twitter), stating: "This year’s National Games will showcase not only new sporting achievements in China’s new era, but also the remarkable progress of Chinese modernization in the Greater Bay Area." Indeed, the event transcends athletics, serving as a platform for GBA synergy. Early competitions, starting October 29, have already yielded medals: Hong Kong's Nicholas Halliday claimed gold in ILCA 7 sailing, Macao's team triumphed in men's kata wushu, and Guangdong dominated diving with Xie Siyi's synchronized 3m springboard win.
Experts view the Games as a catalyst for long-term gains. Nicholas Muk Ka-chun, a Hong Kong district councilor, hailed the relay as "highly innovative," setting benchmarks for future collaborations. Macao's Li Yi, a 2022 Asian Games gold medalist, expressed pride in showcasing her region's vitality. In Gansu Province, official Zhou Fangxia noted nationwide infrastructure upgrades during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), enabling even county-level hosts and spiking public engagement.
As medals tally and narratives unfold over the next 12 days, the 15th National Games affirm China's sporting ascent. From humanoid robots performing 2,000-year-old Gou Diao tunes to cross-bridge sprints, the event weaves tradition with tomorrow, positioning the GBA as a global model of innovation and inclusion. With eyes on Paris 2024's echoes and Milano Cortina 2026's horizon, Beijing's pledge resonates: sports as a bridge to a shared, healthier future.
