ISTANBUL

China on Sunday opened its 15th National Games in southern city of Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, state-media reported.

The opening ceremony of the games, which will run through Nov. 21, will be attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to Xinhua news agency.

Ahead of the ceremony, Xi also met with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry and IOC Honorary President for Life Thomas Bach in Guangzhou.

The Chines president vowed to deepen “high-level cooperation,” between Beijing and IOC, pledging that Beijing will play a larger role in global sports governance, according to the South China Morning Post.

Xi also met with some of the country's leading athletes before the opening ceremony, commending their role in China’s ambition to become a global sports powerhouse.

The National Games this time is co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, with the participation of thousands of athletes.

“This year’s National Games will showcase not only new sporting achievements in China’s new era, but also the remarkable progress of Chinese modernization in the Greater Bay Area,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning wrote on US social media company X.