An e-sports exhibition debuts at the Inner Mongolia International Exhibition and Convention Center in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Sept 22. [Photo/nm.people.cn]

An e-sports exhibition debuted at the Inner Mongolia International Exhibition and Convention Center in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Sept 22.

The e-sports exhibition, an important part of this year's Inner Mongolia Cultural Expo Fair, was divided into three parts: an e-sports exhibition, an e-sports competition, and on-site interactive activities.

The exhibition showcased the current development trajectory of e-sports and added some vitality to this year's cultural expo. Additional events included a cosplay show and an e-sports animation exhibition.

In 2003, the General Administration of Sports of China officially approved e-sports as its 99th formal sporting event. At the 6th Summit of the International Olympic Committee in 2017, e-sports were officially labeled a professional sport, and in 2018, they were featured in the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta Palembang. According to statistics, there are 350 million e-sports players in China, and in 2018, the e-sports industry in China was valued at more than 80 billion yuan ($11.28 billion).