Asian Games 2023: President Xi Jinping to attend opening ceremony with overseas leaders as China promises ‘visual feast’

Saturday night’s ceremony will feature electronic fireworks and reflect the Jiangnan culture of host city Hangzhou, the show’s chief director and producer says

Extravaganza inspired by the region’s Qiantang River, whose tide will symbolise ‘the vitality of sports, the spirit of Zhejiang and the pulse of the times’

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The Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium is set to stage the Asian Games’ opening ceremony on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:01pm, 21 Sep 2023Updated: 6:06pm, 21 Sep 2023

Chinese President Xi Jinping and a host of overseas leaders will attend Saturday’s opening ceremony for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, the foreign ministry has announced.

Xi is expected to be joined by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for the event at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium.

Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu, who is scheduled to travel to mainland China on Friday, will also attend the opening ceremony, as well as visit the athletes’ village to meet the city’s delegation.

At a press conference on Thursday, Sha Xiaolan, the ceremony’s chief director and producer, said the evening performance would reflect the Jiangnan culture of the Hangzhou region.

Rehearsals offer a glimpse of part of Saturday night’s Asian Games opening ceremony in Hangzhou. Photo: Handout

Sha said inspiration for the ceremony had been taken from the tidal bore that is a prominent feature of the imposing Qiantang River, which runs through the region.

“Tide is the surging tide of the Qiantang River, the vitality of sports, the spirit of [host province] Zhejiang and the pulse of the times,” he said.