Shenzhen to launch National Games torch relay

The torch relay for the 15th National Games will commence simultaneously across Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macao, and Guangzhou on Nov. 2, with Shenzhen hosting the primary launch ceremony at Lianhua Hill Park in Futian District at 9 a.m., organizers announced at a press conference yesterday.

Models of the torch for the 15th National Games are displayed during a press conference that announces the torch relay arrangements in Guangzhou yesterday. Photos by China News Service

Following Shenzhen's ceremony, parallel kickoff events will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Hong Kong, Macao, and Guangzhou, with each city deploying 50 torchbearers to carry the flame in segments of 50-to-100 meters each.

Torchbearers were selected from diverse backgrounds, including athletes, model workers, and frontline contributors, with special representation from grassroots occupations such as delivery workers and nurses.

The Shenzhen leg holds particular significance, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone this year. The city's 45-kilometer-long route symbolically reflects this milestone, combining approximately 5 kilometers of running with about 40 kilometers of aerial transmission.

The carefully designed Shenzhen route showcases the city's identity as a "reform, opening-up, and innovation hub," connecting major landmarks including the Civic Center, the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, and the Qianhai International Convention Center, while also passing through popular culinary areas.

Tang Guohua, an official with the executive committee for the Guangdong division of the 15th National Games, displays the official torch relay emblem, “Soul of the Sea Flame,” during the press conference in Guangzhou yesterday.

Meanwhile, Guangzhou's route will highlight cultural heritage and modern landmarks reflecting its history as a "millennia-old commercial capital."

Hong Kong's segment will begin at the government headquarters in Tamar and conclude at Kai Tak Sports Park, crossing Victoria Harbour using a combination of running, ferry transport, and open-top buses.

Macao's 2.6-kilometer route will traverse culturally significant sites across the peninsula.

A visitor takes photos with Xiyangyang, the mascot of the 15th National Games and the National Paralympic Games, at Guangzhou Tower in Haizhu District, Guangzhou, on Oct. 26.

Following the four-city relay, representatives will return the flame to Guangzhou for an afternoon ceremony at the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center, where a flame-combining ritual will symbolize the unity and connectivity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's "one-hour living circle."

The 15th National Games will be held from Nov. 9 to 21.