Xi calls for promoting peace, solidarity, inclusiveness through sports

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses a welcoming banquet in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 23, 2023. Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on Saturday hosted a banquet here to welcome guests who will attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games. [Xinhua/Huang Jingwen]

HANGZHOU -- Chinese President Xi Jinping called for promoting peace, solidarity and inclusiveness through sports at a welcoming banquet ahead of the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games on Saturday.

As members of a community with a shared future, Asian countries should adhere to good neighborliness and mutual benefit, reject the Cold War mentality and camp-based confrontation, and make Asia an anchor for world peace, Xi said when addressing the banquet in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

On solidarity, Xi said as humanity is faced with unprecedented global challenges, Asian people must seize historic opportunities and work together to tackle these challenges so that Asia can embark on a broader path of common development, openness and integration.

On inclusiveness, Xi said the Asian Games, with many unique sporting events of Asia, offers a stage where sports and cultures enrich each other, and vividly shows how Asian cultures learn form one another and beam with vitality.

He stressed the efforts to promote inclusiveness through sports, enhance confidence in Asian civilizations, uphold communication and mutual learning, and add new glory to Asian civilizations. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, pose for photo with guests during a welcoming banquet in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 23, 2023. Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan on Saturday hosted a banquet here to welcome guests who will attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games. [Xinhua/Huang Jingwen]

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses a welcoming banquet in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 23, 2023. Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on Saturday hosted a banquet here to welcome guests who will attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games. [Xinhua/Pang Xinglei]