Saudi Arabia hosts esports events to celebrate diplomatic ties with China

To celebrate 35 years of formal diplomatic ties between China and Saudi Arabia during the "China-Saudi Year of Culture", Riyadh is making esports a focus of major cultural events in July and August. One of the largest esports carnivals, the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC), just concluded in Riyadh, and the Gulf country, which wants to be a world esports hub, is seeking to deepen people-to-people connections, especially among younger generations, with other esports giants such as China.

Two Chinese teams, Chengdu AG and Guangzhou TTG, competed in the EWC final of Chinese-made game Honor of Kings.

The chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, and Chinese Ambassador Chang Hua attended the championship match, won by the Chengdu team.

"I'm still really happy. You can really feel how seriously Saudi Arabia takes esports. The scale of the event is huge, and we've come across so many different teams," said Yi Nuo, the team leader of the Chengdu AG Honor of Kings Squad.

The event attracted thousands of enthusiastic game lovers, including former Asian swimming champion Zhang Yuhan.

"Traditional sports are more about pushing the limits of physical strength, but here, I saw how composed and steady the players were, while the crowd was intensely enthusiastic," said Zhang.

After the final showdown, Al Saud joined Ambassador Chang and the winning team on a tour of the Chinese exhibition area set up as part of the "China-Saudi esports Culture Week," which was set up within the EWC venue.

"Through the performances of these young Chinese players, people from Saudi Arabia and around the world can better understand China and its youth. This year, we've also implemented a visa-free policy for Saudi passport holders. We hope more Saudis, especially young people, will come to China to see its beauty firsthand," said Chang.

Al Saud, who also serves as the Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation, voiced hope for deeper esports cooperation between the two countries.

"There is great potential for stronger ties between our two nations, especially among the youth. Sixty-seven percent of Saudi youth identify as esports fans, and I know many young Chinese do as well. This is a great opportunity to deepen youth-to-youth exchanges, just as important as government-level diplomacy," he said.

Esports Week in Saudi Arabia features artistic performances and exhibitions on esports exchanges between the two countries, as well as Chinese gaming innovations.

Mike McCabe, the Chief Operating Officer of the Esports World Cup Foundation, says Chinese fans are an inspiration to audiences around the world.

"I think China has done an amazing job in really elevating esports on a global stage as well as domestically in China. We've been lucky enough to come and see some of the incredible esports events in China. What really amazes me is the passion of the fans in China. We see fans traveling across the country in China to follow their club and to be able to see them compete in the biggest games in esports. From our perspective, we want to see more Chinese clubs take part in the EWC, and we want to see more Chinese games be part of EWC," said McCabe.

Saudi Arabia hosts esports events to celebrate diplomatic ties with China

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media