China’s Xi hosts foreign leaders ahead of World University Games

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) – China’s President Xi Jinping hosted several foreign leaders for bilateral talks ahead of World University Games.

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, is hosting the games previously known as the Universiade, and were originally planned for 2021 but were postponed twice because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The event opens on Friday and runs until Aug. 8.

The opening ceremony will be attended by leaders of Georgia, Guyana, Indonesia, Burundi, and Mauritania.

Xi held separate bilateral meetings with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Guyana President Irfaan Ali, as well as Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

Thousands of student-athletes from more than 150 countries are participating in the games organized every two years in different cities around the world by the International University Sports Federation.