UPDATE - China’s Xi declares World University Games open

UPDATES WITH DETAILS FROM OPENING CEREMONY, CHANGES HEADLINE, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday declared open the 31st edition of World University Games in Chengdu.

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

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.

The opening ceremony of the event, which runs until Aug. 8, is being attended by leaders of Georgia, Guyana, Indonesia, Burundi, and Mauritania.

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