The 600-meter Canton Tower, the most famous landmark in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province, officially launched a spectacular 5-minute and 45-second themed light show on Thursday night to celebrate the upcoming 15th National Games.
The light display showcased vibrant colors of orange, pink and green, symbolizing the spirit of the Games. It sequentially interpreted themes such as "Blossom," "Glory," "Climb" and "Starry Sky," vividly capturing the passion for sports and the rhythm of urban development. The show provided both residents and tourists with a visual feast that blended the excitement of the Games with the charm of Guangzhou.
Additionally, the Canton Tower unveiled its new daily light show themed "New Rhythm of the Bay Area." This design integrates Lingnan culture with the spirit of the Greater Bay Area city cluster in south China comprising nine cities in Guangdong and the neighboring Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, with the lighting lasting about 4 minutes and 20 seconds each time. In the future, this show will alternate with the tower's classic lighting to highlight the city's unique fusion of ancient civilization and modern culture, as well as its global connections.
The Lingnan culture, also known as the Cantonese culture, refers to the regional Chinese culture of the region of Lingnan: twin provincial-lvel regions of Guangdong and Guangxi, the names of which mean "eastern expanse" and "western expanse", respectively.
The 15th National Games will open on Sunday across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, marking the first time three regions have co-hosted the country's premier multi-sport event.
Guangzhou's Canton Tower lit up for 15th National Games
China's 15th Five-Year Plan proposal sends a strong signal of the country's commitment to upholding openness and cooperation, which will promote further development for the country and the world, said officials and scholars around the world.
The draft 15th Five-Year Plan, the blueprint that will guide the world's second-largest economy from 2026 to 2030, is central to steer China to move toward modernization amid technological disruption, demographic shifts and an increasingly fractured global order, according to the scholars.
"China's 15th Five-Year Plan is not a rigid model; it is more like benchmarks for growth targets and focal points. Chinese economists and economic decision-makers are not just focusing on qualitative growth, but also on innovative development. We're witnessing new transportation methods, robotics and artificial intelligence," said Andrey Denisov, first deputy chair of Russia's Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs and former Russian Ambassador to China.
"The 15th Five-Year Plan is of great importance to China's development. The country is poised to make remarkable advancements in various sectors, including artificial intelligence, high-end manufacturing and infrastructure construction. Given the shifting global context and China's transition towards high-quality development, I am confident that this plan will herald a new era for China's development," said Kamel Mansari, news director of the French-language daily Le Jeune Independent.
Scholars also noted that China's commitment to high-quality development and high-level opening-up will promote win-win results and benefit the world.
"China has emerged as a key partner for most countries worldwide, and a preferred partner due to its closeness and integration with global communities, as well as its strong humanitarian perspective. The Chinese economy has not only benefited itself; it has helped many economies worldwide flourish through its partnerships," said Dirgham Muhammad Ali, an Iraqi economic expert.
China's National People's Congress (NPC) is scheduled to open in Beijing on Wednesday, with lawmakers set to approve the 15th Five-Year Plan.
15th Five-Year Plan to guide China's development, benefit world: scholars
