Cauldron lit at opening of China's 15th National Games

The main cauldron was ignited at the opening ceremony of the 15th National Games in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, on Sunday evening by a trio of distinguished athletes from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

The flame that lit the cauldron was sourced from methane hydrate, or combustible ice, extracted from a depth of 1,522 meters in the South China Sea.

Before the grand ignition, a ceremonial torch relay took place inside the stadium.

The first to carry the torch flame were table tennis legend Ma Lin, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and 15-time world champion, and diving icon Chen Ruolin, who boasts five Olympic golds and 21 world titles.

The flame was then passed to Hong Kong cycling champion Wong Kam Po -- a three-time gold medalist at both the National Games and the Asian Games, and a celebrated world champion -- and to Macao karate athlete Fong Man Hou, silver medalist in the Men's Team Kata at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.

Next, diving great Guo Jingjing, a four-time Olympic champion and 31-time world title winner, joined tennis rising star Wang Xinyu, the mixed doubles silver medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, to carry the torch forward.

The flame then passed to Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi, the gold medal–winning duo in both the team and duet artistic swimming events at the Paris Olympics.

Following them were badminton star Liang Weikeng, silver medalist in men's doubles at the 2024 Olympics and a three-time world title winner, and Lai Xuanzhi, an inspirational national ethical role model who has trained 52 world champions in rope skipping.

The sixth leg honored judo pioneer Xian Dongmei, a two-time Olympic champion, and football legend Rong Zhixing.

Finally, the honor of igniting the main cauldron fell to an emblematic trio from the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area: Su Bingtian, the Asian record holder in the men's 100m sprint from Guangdong; Cheung Ka Long, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in men's foil fencing from Hong Kong; and Li Yi, Macao's gold medalist in women's changquan at the 19th Asian Games.

Together, they lit the flame against a backdrop of fireworks, drawing roaring cheers from the crowd.

The 15th National Games, running from Nov 9 to 21, is co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, marking the first time the Greater Bay Area has jointly hosted the country's premier multi-sport event.

First held in 1959, the National Games is China's largest multi-sport event.

This edition features 34 sports with 419 events in the competitive program, and 23 sports with 166 events in the mass participation program.

Cauldron lit at opening of China's 15th National Games

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' separatist moves to stoke cross-Strait hostility are unpopular and doomed to fail, said Zhang Han, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing on Wednesday.

Zhang made the comments at a regular press conference in response to a media query about recent inappropriate remarks by Chiu Chui-cheng, head of the so-called "mainland affairs council", regarding the Chinese mainland's policy of advancing high-quality cross-Strait integrated development".

"Our fellow Taiwan compatriots are our kith and kin. Over the years, acting on the principle that 'people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are all of the same family', we have actively promoted cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation, deepened the integrated development across various fields, and made steady progress in implementing policies that provide equal treatment to Taiwan compatriots. These efforts have continuously yielded new results, fully demonstrating our goodwill in seeking benefits for Taiwan compatriots and our sincerity in advancing the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations. Such endeavors have been met with strong support and wide acclaim from our Taiwan compatriots. Driven by its separatist pursuit of 'Taiwan secession', the DPP authorities are deeply fearful of closer ties between people across the Strait. They have deliberately fanned the flames of confrontation and antagonism, while resorting to slander and obstruction against anything that helps develop cross-Strait relations and benefits people on both sides. Such moves are deeply unpopular and are bound to fail," she said.

DPP's moves to stoke cross-Strait hostility unpopular, doomed to fail: spokeswoman