China's 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities opens in Hainan

The 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of China opened on Friday night in Sanya, a coastal city of Hainan Province.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, officially declared the Games open.

Nearly 7,000 athletes representing 35 delegations across China will compete in 18 sports and 170 demonstration sports during the nine-day event, which will conclude on November 30.

All equestrian competitions have already been held in July in Zhaosu of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

As the 35 delegations entered the stadium, they were accompanied by brief performances highlighting distinctive local and ethnic characteristics. These displays set the stage for an opening ceremony celebrating the rich cultures of China's 56 ethnic groups.

Before the opening ceremony, Wang met with all members of the Games' organizing committee, representatives from various delegations, and athlete representatives.

Wang encouraged them to stay united and forge ahead, strengthening the sense of community for the Chinese nation and carrying forward China’s fine traditional culture.

He also visited the exhibitions on China's ethnic minority traditional sports culture, Hainan's comprehensive reform and opening-up efforts, and the achievements in building a free trade port with Chinese characteristics.

The event was first held in 1953, when nearly 400 athletes from 13 ethnic groups competed in Tianjin's inaugural edition. 29 years later, the 2nd edition was held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The coconut tree climbing race, a newly added event in this year's games, originates from the traditional labor of local ethnic communities, who climb trees to harvest coconuts on the tropical island. Combining rich entertainment with competitiveness, this sport is to debut in the Games.

The tournament aims to foster harmony and cultural integration among China's 56 ethnic groups.

China's 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities opens in Hainan

As much as 37 percent of Americans saw their debt increase during this year's holiday shopping season, with average debt rising to 1,223 U.S. dollars from 1,181 dollars last year, according to the latest holiday debt survey of LendingTree, the nation's online loan marketplace.

The survey, conducted earlier this month among more than 2,000 U.S. consumers, found that rising tariffs and higher prices have put additional pressure on household budgets.

In a statement, LendingTree's chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz said the strain becomes more pronounced during the holiday season, as many consumers are reluctant to change long-standing shopping traditions, even as costs rise, leading to higher debt levels.

According to the survey, 63 percent of borrowers expect it will take three months or longer to repay their holiday-related debt, while about 41 percent said they are still paying off debt from last year. Schulz warned that if borrowers need six months to a year or more to repay their balances, the situation becomes more serious due to high credit card interest rates.

Data from Bankrate show that the average U.S. credit card interest rate currently exceeds 20 percent.

Meanwhile, U.S. consumers have grown increasingly pessimistic about their financial situation. Data released on Tuesday by The Conference Board showed that the U.S. Consumer Confidence Index fell for the fifth consecutive month in December, dropping to 89.1, the lowest level since April, amid deepening anxiety over jobs and income.

Over one-third of Americans rack up holiday debt: survey