A performance, two lectures, and three fun run competitions of the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games took place in Guangzhou and Zhuhai on Feb 16, welcoming the sports event that will take place from Sept 23 to Oct 8 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Chenchen, one of the mascots of the Hangzhou Asian Games, was showcased in Zhuhai, while the other two mascots, Congcong and Lianlian, met the public in downtown Guangzhou and Guangzhou's Nansha district, marking their debut in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

During the promotional talk held that day at Beijing Normal University - Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC) in Tangjiawan, Yang Meng, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee, shared the preparation processes of the Hangzhou Asian Games and promoted relevant information.

Fun run participants in Zhuhai pose for a group photo with Chenchen, one of the three mascots of the Hangzhou Asian Games [Photo by Zhu Xi / Guanhai App]

Yang noted that the fun run activities are expected to make people aware of exercising and help promote the cultural characteristics of Hangzhou. 

Artists, including Bi Xuefeng, head of the China Academy of Art's School of Design and core member from the design group of Bing Dwen Dwen, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics mascot, also carried out exchanges. Bi noted that Zhuhai could learn from Hangzhou to further promote its city image by holding large-scale sports events.

The fun run in Zhuhai was held at Yeli Island Park in Xiangzhou and the music show was staged at the second-floor platform of the Canton Tower in Guangzhou. Of note, the show was projected live on the exterior walls of the Zhuhai Opera House and attracted many visitors. 

The events were part of the Asian Games 10 Cities Tour, a national cultural promotion campaign launched by the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee in May 2021. The Zhuhai session was held by parties of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee, Publicity Department of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee, as well as Publicity Department of the CPC Zhuhai Municipal Committee.

The campaign has now visited nine domestic cities, including Shanghai, Xi'an, Wuhan, Chengdu, and Xiamen, with its next stop being Beijing.