A torchbearer for the National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of the People's Republic of China (left) interacts with the audience dressed in ethnic costumes during the torch relay in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, on November 17, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of the organizers

The 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of the People's Republic of China is set to kick off in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, on Friday, with 32 delegations competing across 17 disciplines.

The event will set new records in terms of scale, ethnic diversity, range of activities, and the age span of participants, organizers said.

The delegations from Southwest China's Yunnan Province and Guizhou Province, two regions known for being home to a large population of ethnic minorities, will compete in all 18 sports and seven demonstration events.

They are closely followed by the delegations of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Central China's Hunan Province, which will compete in17 sports and seven demonstration events.

The delegation representing the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which consists of 208 members including 123 athletes, is the region's largest team in the event's history.

Huang Dongqing, a senior official with the delegation of the host Hainan, told reporters that though the delegation aims to have some breakthrough in the competition, it also wants to foster mutual understanding among different ethnic groups.

"As the host delegation of the Games, we aim to achieve a breakthrough in the number of first prizes," Huang told reporters. "However, our primary goal is to engage with fellow athletes from various provinces, foster mutual understanding, and strengthen friendships."

First launched in 1953, the National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities is one of China's oldest national multi-sport games, having been held 11 times.

Some 10,000 athletes representing China's 56 ethnic groups will gather on this tropical island to compete in 17 sports, 139 events and three demonstration sports.

Some events, such as equestrian competitions, have already taken place in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Northwest China.

Unlike conventional sporting events, the Games feature competitions rooted in the traditional customs of China's ethnic minorities.

One highlight is the debut of the coconut tree climbing race, inspired by the daily lives of the Li and Miao ethnic groups in Hainan, who historically climbed coconut trees for harvesting coconuts.

The swing competition, which is exclusive to female athletes, hails from the Korean ethnic group in Northeast China and aims to empower women by encouraging them to broaden their horizons through sport.

Between the opening ceremony on Friday and the closing ceremony on November 30, a special Ethnic Unity Gala will also be held to celebrate the rich diversity of Chinese ethnic groups.