President Xi Jinping declares China’s National Games open at ceremony in Xian

Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the 14th National Games open on September 15, 2021, in Xian in China’s northwest Shaanxi province. Held in their present form since 1959, the four-yearly games feature almost all the same sporting events as the Summer Olympics. China’s domestic version, in which athletes are competing for their provinces in 35 sports, is expected to continue until September 27. The event is viewed as a test run of Covid-19 measures before next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics starting in February.  

Video source: CCTV