The Spectacular Asian Games Unveiled: China's Mega Stadium Hosts 12,000 Athletes

China's leader, Xi Jinping, is set to inaugurate the opening ceremony of the Asian Games at a colossal stadium in Hangzhou on Saturday. Affectionately known as "the Big Lotus," the stadium boasts a unique roof design with 28 grand petal-shaped structures and 27 smaller ones. Managed by its operator, the stadium has a seating capacity of 80,000 individuals.

According to the Chinese state media news agency Xinhua, the largest Asian Games ever will see participation from over 12,000 athletes representing the 45 members of the Asian Olympic Council. Dignitaries from various countries, such as Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu, and South Korea's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, have arrived for the opening ceremony.

According to Xinhua, approximately 50,000 individuals are expected to attend the ceremony, with over 1,200 volunteers present at the venue to provide assistance. Qin Haiyang, China's swimming world champion, and Yang Liwei, a basketball player, have been chosen as flag bearers for the Chinese delegation during the opening ceremony.

According to Xinhua, the director of the opening ceremony, Sha Xiaolan, stated that digital fireworks will be utilized instead of real fireworks to encourage environmental responsibility. Sha also mentioned that the audience will have a distinctive opportunity to immerse themselves in the local Chinese culture of Hangzhou through the use of glasses-free 3D and augmented reality.

Hangzhou, the birthplace of Chinese tech-giant Alibaba, plans to showcase state-of-the-art technologies such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence at the Games Village, as reported by Xinhua. Additionally, robots will be deployed by the organizers to offer guidance and security at certain venues.

From now until October 8, a total of 481 sporting events will be held in the 56 venues scattered across Hangzhou in eastern China.

The games mascots consist of three robots: Chenchen, Congcong, and Lianlian. Organizers stated that each robot represents an ancient monument of the host city and symbolizes the city's "contemporary vibrancy." Initially planned for 2022, the games had to be postponed for a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the Friday meeting with the organizers, Xi expressed confidence in the Chinese government and its people to successfully host a remarkable sports event. He emphasized the importance of highlighting Chinese cultural elements and embracing the allure of Asia, as reported by Xinhua.