AsiaNet 79852

CHENGDU, China, July 26, 2019 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

The 18th World Police and Fire Games (hereinafter referred to as WPFG) will be held by the Chengdu Municipal People's Government from August 8 to 18, 2019. To date, there have been athletes from 34 countries and regions, including USA, Australia and Canada, registering on the official website for a seat in the competition.

WPFG is an international event held every other year, it is staged to boost body building among the policemen and firemen. The first WPFG was held in 1985 in San Jose, California.

When asked why Chengdu was chosen for this year's event, Danny Burdikter, a member of the Executive Committee of the WPFG Association, said, "There are indeed loads of cities that have submitted their requests for the bid. In the end, we found through investigation that Chengdu outshone other counterparts with greater enthusiasm, commitment, professionalism and venue preparation. Since 2011, I have paid 7 visits to the city and witnessed its explosive growth. The city stood out naturally."

"As it is the first time a WPFG kicks off in Asia, we'd like to engage more countries and cities in the event. With intriguing culture and world-renowned cuisine, Chengdu will attract flocks of visitors from surrounding countries and regions. Hosting this event in Chengdu is of strategic significance," Danny stressed.

In fact, apart from WPFG, Chengdu has been chosen to host more world-class sports events, such as the Summer Universiade 2021 and the World Games 2025. As one of the oldest cities in China (4,500 years of civilization and 2,300 years of city history), Chengdu has long been famed for its chubby pandas and mouth-watering spicy food. Its development in recent years truly astonishes the world. On the World City Register 2018 published by the authoritative city rating agency, the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC), in November 2018, Chengdu ranks 71th among global candidates, following Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in mainland China.

The thriving development of sports events marks an evident sign of the magnificent rise of the city. While the city is making all-out efforts to build itself a world-renowned city of sports, 2018 alone saw the successful conclusion of 21 major international sports events in Chengdu, including the ITU Triathlon World Cup, FIBA 3x3 Chengdu International Challenge Match, Asia Badminton Elite Tour, Chengdu Open (ATP 250 Tennis Tournament) and ITF Junior Masters.

According to the planning, there will be 67 international sports events to be held in Chengdu from 2018 to 2020, including 50% at an intercontinental championship or above level and 40% of self-owned brands and local cultural characteristics.

The Tianfu Aoti City, which has already started construction, features a total planned area of about 85 square kilometers. It is the core project to bolster Chengdu's building of a world sports city. As outlined in the planning, Tianfu Aoti City is designed as an event venue for fitness and recreation, sports and tourism, sports training, and rehabilitation and medical care. It also paves the way for Chengdu to host more world-class events in the future.

It is worth noting that the local government has also incorporated the national fitness into the agenda of sports industry development. The partially completed Tianfu Greenway has become the preference for local citizens to do fitness and leisure activities, and for the holding of specific sports events. Revealed in publicized information, events such as beach volleyball and slow-pitch softball of this year's WPFG will be carried out at the Tianfu Greenway.

Tianfu Greenway marks the longest greenway system in the world with a total planned length of 16,930 kilometers. The greenway and its supporting facilities are scheduled to be completed in 2035.

What's more, the globe-covered aviation network also boosts the city's progress to become a "world city of sports events". With 116 international (regional) routes available now, Chengdu is the one and only city in Southwest China extending its air access to five continents in the world. The second airport in Chengdu, Tianfu International Airport, is also expected to be completed and put into operation in the first half of 2021. By then, Chengdu will become the third city in mainland China with two airports.

Speaking of Chengdu's hosting of the 31st Summer Universiade in 2021, Matytsin, chairman of International University Sports Federation, said, "Chengdu boasts very good infrastructure and enormous universities and university students. They are hardworking and professional, and have good understanding of the Universiade. There's nothing to worry about."

Source: Chengdu Municipal People's Government 

--BERNAMA