Beijing marks National Fitness Day with sports carnivals, various games

Beijing marked China's 18th National Fitness Day on Saturday with a range of sporting activities, including the launch of a series of sports events and a three-day sports carnival, showcasing the capital's enduring sports legacy as the host of both the 2008 Summer and 2022 Winter Olympics.

China's 18th National Fitness Day, which falls on Saturday this year, saw numerous sports events taking place simultaneously across the metropolis.

The opening of the 17th Beijing Municipal Games, a sports carnival, and the 17th Beijing Olympic City Sports and Culture Festival are taking center stage one after another, fully unleashing the sporting vitality through a diverse array of sporting events, consumer activities, and cultural experiences.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Beijing's successful bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, and the city has launched a sports consumption season.

Nearly 60 sports brands have gathered in Beijing's Olympic center area, bringing more than a dozen top-tier international sports event IPs.

The three-day sports carnival seamlessly integrates match watching, interactive experiences, and shopping.

"The National Fitness Day is taking on a variety of forms. We can experience GT racing, racing culture, trendy sports culture, and even related merchandise in person," said Lin Yue, an Olympic champion.

The 17th Beijing Municipal Games and the Third Beijing Winter Games also opened Saturday at the National Stadium.

Featuring three categories of youth, college and general public, the event has set new records for both the number of participants and the range of sports, catering to sports enthusiasts of all ages and providing ordinary citizens with a professional platform to showcase their athletic abilities.

On the same day, the 17th Beijing Olympic City Sports and Culture Festival kicked off at the Beijing Olympic Museum.

Beijing marks National Fitness Day with sports carnivals, various games

Global food commodity prices rose slightly in July, driven by higher prices for cereals, sugar and vegetable oils, while lower meat and dairy prices partly offset the increase, according to a report released Friday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 131.1 points in July, up 0.6 percent from June and 1.0 percent higher than a year earlier. However, it remained 18.2 percent below its record high reached in March 2022.

The FAO said the cereal price index rose 3.4 percent month on month. Wheat prices climbed 5.8 percent amid concerns over disruptions to Black Sea exports and heatwaves affecting major producing regions, while maize prices increased 3.6 percent due to hot and dry weather in parts of the U.S. Corn Belt and stronger energy markets. Rice prices remained broadly stable.

The vegetable oil price index gained 2.0 percent to its highest level since June 2022, supported by stronger palm oil prices on robust biodiesel demand in Indonesia and higher crude oil prices, as well as firmer soybean oil prices, the report said.

Sugar prices rose 5.6 percent from June, reflecting concerns over hot and dry weather in Europe, adverse weather risks in major Asian producing countries, and expectations that Brazil's higher ethanol blending requirement would divert more sugarcane to ethanol production, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the meat and dairy price indices fell 2.8 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively, said the report.

The FAO said global food prices remain well below the peak recorded in 2022, but geopolitical tensions and extreme weather continue to put upward pressure on prices of some agricultural commodities.

Global food prices edge up in July amid heatwaves, regional conflicts: FAO