Preparations for Sanya Asian Beach Games enter final stage

BEIJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- With 100 days until the opening ceremony, preparations for the sixth Asian Beach Games in Sanya, on China's southernmost island province of Hainan, have entered the final stage, organizers said Monday.

The event, set to promote tourism and international exchanges, marks the second time China hosts the games after the 2012 edition in Haiyang, Shandong province. It will feature 14 sports, 15 disciplines and 63 events, including Olympic and Asian Games staples such as swimming and sailing, along with emerging sports like teqball and beach kabaddi.

Li Jing, vice chairperson of the organizing committee and deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China, said 3,798 athletes from 45 Asian countries and regions have completed the first round of registration. China's delegation is expected to include about 190 athletes competing in 13 sports and 61 events.

Xie Jing, vice chairperson of the organizing committee and vice governor of Hainan Province, said the preparations are in the final sprint and will follow the principles of being "simple, safe and spectacular."

The games will be the first major international sporting event since the Hainan Free Trade Port launched island-wide special customs operations last December. "Improved personnel mobility, faster cargo clearance, and enhanced internationalization and overall support capacity have laid a solid foundation for hosting the games," she said.

"Large international sports events have a strong clustering effect," Xie added. "The Asian Beach Games will not only be a stage for athletic competition, but will also attract flows of people, goods, capital and information, playing an important role in promoting Hainan's economic and social development."

Organizers said technology will play a key role, including intelligent systems for accreditation, registration and logistics; a 5G-based emergency rescue system; intelligent service robots; and expanded drone applications.

Green practices are emphasized in the preparations. Chen Xi, secretary-general of the organizing committee and mayor of Sanya, said all competition venues have been renovated from existing facilities or built with temporary structures, and more than 1,000 vehicles for games operations will be new-energy vehicles.

Hosting the event in the resort city of Sanya will support efforts to build Hainan as an international tourism and sports consumer destination. "With the Asian Beach Games as a bridge, we will link distinctive tourism resources across the island, allowing spectators and athletes to experience island scenery, tropical rainforests, ethnic culture and duty-free shopping," Xie said.

"We hope the tournament will help us attract more tourists around the world, and sports can also be a shining calling card for Hainan," she added. ■