The International Festival of Extreme Sports (FISE) World Series Shanghai concluded at the West Bund on Sunday, attracting top athletes from 29 countries and regions for passionate competitions while attracting growing fandom to explore the intriguing sport.
FISE, recognized as the world's biggest comprehensive extreme sports event, featured competitions in six disciplines in Shanghai, including freestyle BMX, skateboarding, and rock climbing. To mark its first appearance in Shanghai, FISE's arena designer Pascal Morrasse-Raymond added Chinese elements into competition fields.
"I want to make every venue distinctive. And I am quite fond of China's history and culture," said Raymond. With the competitions unfolding, the West Bund also hosted a FISE carnival featuring six themes, covering family activities, camping, music, and more, providing both athletes and residents with recreations beyond sports.
"I was here to compete and expected only a competition field. I have no idea that there are so many things to have fun. I am pleasantly surprised," said Yu Wentao, an athlete.
"There are quite many engaging activities, and different varieties of sports and competitions are also attractive," said Zhu Jingyi, a local resident.
The FISE extreme sports festival and the following recreations are part of the West Bund's broader initiative to enhance its influence and promote coordinated development, introduced Chen Anda, the man in charge of the event.
"The comprehensive development of the West Bund, encompassing commerce, tourism, culture, sports, and exhibition, was finally completed with the addition of 'sports' this year. In addition to the influence of the event on the build-up area, we expect that we could lead the southward development of the Xuhui District West Bund area with sports events," said Chen.
Global extreme sports event in Shanghai creates new recreational space
China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.
"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.
This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.
By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.
The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.
"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.
China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting
