China to send 171 athletes to Asian Beach Games in Sanya

China on Wednesday announced a 255-member delegation, including 171 athletes, for the 6th Asian Beach Games Sanya 2026.

Xia Xinyi (R) saves the ball during the women's beach volleyball preliminary match between Xue Chen/Xia Xinyi of China and Shin Jieun/Kim Seyeon of the Republic of Korea at the 19th Asian Games in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

The Chinese delegation will compete in 13 sports across 60 events, excluding beach kabaddi, marking the country's highest participation rate at the Asian Beach Games.

At the delegation's pep rally, Li Jing, deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China, urged Chinese athletes to strictly uphold the bottom lines of "zero doping violations" and "zero disputes over competition conduct and discipline."

The Sanya Games, scheduled for April 22 to 30, will feature 14 sports, 15 disciplines and 62 events, with the aim of promoting tourism and international exchanges. It marks the second time China has hosted the Games, following the 2012 edition in Haiyang, Shandong Province.

The Games will also be the first major international sporting event since the Hainan Free Trade Port launched island-wide special customs operations last December.