Make Asia anchor of world peace, says XI at Asian Games opening ceremony

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that the recently inaugurated Asian Games embodies the Asian people’s "shared desire for peace, unity and inclusiveness".

Speaking at the welcoming banquet of the game's opening ceremony, Xi said Asia has enjoyed overall stability as well as sustained rapid economic growth, creating the "Asian Miracle" that is incomparable across the world.

"The Asian Games has not only been a witness to this achievement but also a participant and a contributor. As a community with a shared future connected by mountains and rivers as well as cultural affinity, we should use sports to promote peace, pursue good neighborliness and mutual benefit, and reject Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation. We should make Asia an anchor of world peace."

The Chinese president added that the 19th Asian Games has set a new record in the numbers of registered athletes and events.

Spectators in the 80,000 seat stadium give Xi Jinping, the President of the People’s Republic of China, a standing ovation and loud cheers as he and his wife, Peng Liyuan, enter the stadium at the opening of 19th #AsianGames. pic.twitter.com/q1AiHUyfaV

— Qingqing_Chen (@qingqingparis) September 23, 2023

He emphasised that as humanity faces unprecedented challenges, "we should use sports to promote unity, seize the historic opportunity, and jointly stand up to the challenges".

"As an important birthplace of human civilization, Asia has fostered splendid cultures. The 19th Asian Games has included many disciplines with distinctive Asian features. It provides a platform to celebrate sports and culture, and showcases Asian culture that is inclusive, vibrant and always keen to learn from others. We should use sports to promote inclusiveness, enhance confidence in our civilizations, pursue exchanges and mutual learning, and renew the glory of Asian civilizations," said Xi as he welcomed all to the opening ceremony of the games.