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| Photo taken on April 22, 2026 shows the general view of the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. [Xinhua/Guo Cheng] |
SANYA, April 22 (Xinhua) — The 6th Asian Beach Games opened on Wednesday evening in China's tropical resort city of Sanya, with the opening ceremony held at the seaside Yasha Park.
Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin declared the Games open after 45 delegations marched in for the continental Games, which had previously been scheduled to be held in 2020.
After having twice been postponed, chiefly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sanya Games has drawn around 10,000 participants, including 1,790 athletes.
The Games marks the first time Hainan has hosted a continental-level beach sports event. It is also the first major international sporting event since the island-wide Hainan Free Trade Port was inaugurated last December.
Scheduled from April 22 to 30, the Games features 14 sports, 15 disciplines and 62 events. It is the second time that China has hosted the Asian Beach Games, after the 2012 edition in Haiyang, Shandong Province.
China has sent a delegation of 255 members, including 171 athletes, competing in 13 sports and 60 events, marking the country's highest participation in Asian Beach Games history.
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| Members of the delegation of China parade during the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 22, 2026. [Xinhua/Pan Yulong] |
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| Members of the delegation of China parade during the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 22, 2026. [Xinhua/Pan Yulong] |
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| Fireworks explode during the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 22, 2026. [Xinhua/Li Ga] |
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| Artists perform before the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 22, 2026. [Xinhua/Bei He] |
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| Fireworks illuminate the sky during the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 22, 2026. [Xinhua/Guo Cheng] |
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| Torchbearers run with the torch during the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) |
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| The cauldron is lit during the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 22, 2026. [Xinhua/Chen Sihan] |
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| Members of the delegation of China parade during the opening ceremony of the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 22, 2026. [Xinhua/Zhu Zheng] |
(Source: Xinhua)
Editor: Wang Shasha
