GBA cities in full swing preparing for 2025 National Games

Hong Kong’s neighboring cities in Guangdong are racing to prepare for the 2025 National Games, a major multi-sport event co-hosted by Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macau from November 9 to 21. 

Cities such as Foshan, Zhaoqing, Shanwei, Shantou and Jiangmen are finalizing venue upgrades, planning test events, and exploring ways to boost tourism and economic growth through the Games.

Foshan Mayor Bai Tao said during the Two Sessions in Beijing that the city will host six National Games events and three Paralympic events, with venues construction and upgrades on track.

Bai added that the city will continue to host Foshan La Liga Football League, which assembled football teams within the Greater Bay Area and attracted over 1.46 million spectators last year.

“Hong Kong citizens are more than welcome to visit Foshan,” he said.

Bai also highlighted the strong economic and cultural ties between Foshan and Hong Kong, noting that more than 4,400 Hong Kong-invested enterprises operate in Foshan, while 255 Foshan-based companies have expanded to Hong Kong.

“We will seize the opportunities presented by the GBA  to deepen cooperation with Hong Kong in finance and technology and enhance people-to-people exchange,” Bai added.

Meanwhile, Mayor Xu Xiaoxiong of Zhaoqing, said the city is in a “100-meter sprint” to finalize preparations, with test events scheduled to begin in May.

Xu added that eight sports venues underwent upgrades last year and are now in the inspection phase to ensure safety and compliance.

Xu expected the event will attract around 150,000 spectators and tourists, boosting local tourism, dining, and other industries, with economic benefits expected to reach hundreds of millions of yuan.

Shanwei Mayor Zheng Haitao revealed plans to host a provincial youth sailing championship in June as a test event, and the venue to host the event has undergone comprehensive upgrades.

Shantou Mayor Chen Tao expressed confidence in the city’s ability to handle the influx of visitors, saying that the city is actively developing event-related tourism products.

Jiangmen Mayor Wu Xiaohui said the city’s works in ensuring smooth operations across healthcare, transportation, power supply, food safety, weather monitoring, and environmental are proceeding smoothly. 

(Ayra Wang)