Historic torch relay sparks zest for National Games

China's upcoming 15th National Games marked a historic milestone on Sunday, with its first cross-boundary torch relay held with great fanfare simultaneously in four cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Following the relay launch ceremony in the southern coastal city of Shenzhen, Guangdong province, the torch for the quadrennial multisport event was carried by 200 torchbearers, 50 each in Shenzhen, the provincial capital Guangzhou, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao SAR.

In another first, the "source flame "for the torch relay was obtained directly from the ocean floor. In early October, it was ignited using combustible ice collected from the Haima cold seep at a depth of 1,522 meters in the South China Sea.

Addressing the ceremony in Shenzhen, Governor of Guangdong Meng Fanli called the torch relay a brilliant interpretation of the Chinese sporting spirit and the Olympic spirit, and said it will undoubtedly gather tremendous momentum for advancing the cause of building a strong nation and promoting national rejuvenation.

The relay is a vivid demonstration of the institutional advantages of the "one country, two systems "policy and the achievements made in the construction of the Greater Bay Area, which will surely draw the world's attention more closely to Guangdong, to the GBA and to China, he said.

Li Jiayi, a Yueju Opera actress and winner of the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award, said she felt honored to be selected as a torchbearer for the Guangzhou leg of the relay. "We carry not only the flame for the National Games, but also the cultural fire passed down from generation to generation," she added.

Another torchbearer, Liu Pingyun, a professor at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, said the relay showcased the region's history, culture and vitality, as torchbearers ran past landmarks in Guangzhou, including iconic buildings and scenic spots.

It also served as an opportunity to showcase the region's high-tech future, with Kuavo, the world's first 5G-A humanoid robot torchbearer, making its debut in Shenzhen.

In the Hong Kong SAR, acting chief executive Eric Chan Kwok-ki said the relay fully showcased the distinctive advantages of the Greater Bay Area, and highlighted the city's role as an international metropolis.

On Nov 9, representatives from the four cities will bring the torch flames to the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center in Guangzhou, and the flames will be merged into a single flame, which will then light the main cauldron at the opening ceremony of the games.