Cricket, dragon boating and Weiqi: the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games promises to be a sports fiesta with a difference following the announcement of the event line-up.

According to organizers, the 2010 Asian Games will be the largest of its kind in history featuring 42 sports, three more than that in Doha last year.

The new sports will be cricket, dragon boats, roller sports and modern pentathlon. Besides that, weiqi (go chess) will be listed as a discipline of chess, and soft tennis will be a discipline of tennis.

According to officials from the organizing committee, preparatory work in Guangzhou is well underway.

"The 16th Asian Games aims to promote exchanges and cooperation in the fields of sports, economy and culture among Asian countries and regions and enhance their mutual trust and friendship," said Liu Jiangnan, Deputy Secretary General of Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (GAGOC).

"Moreover, the Games will serve as a window to fully showcase the achievements made in the reform and opening-up and the economic and social construction of China, Guangdong and Guangzhou."

The missions of the Games, which will attract athletes from 45 countries and regions in Asia, are to carry forward the Olympic spirit and promote the Olympic Movement in Asia, to enhance solidarity, friendship and exchange among Asian countries and regions and to contribute to the establishment of a harmonious Asia. The vision of the Games is "Thrilling Games, Harmonious Asia," Liu announced at a press conference in Beijing.

According to Liu, 87 venues will be put into use in the Games, including 56 competition venues and 31 training venues. The Asian Games Village will begin operation in August 2010.

"Among all the venues, 11 will be newly-built ones and the financial support will be mainly provided by the government," Liu said. "The best sports facilities in the surrounding cities, such as Foshan and Dongguan, will also be used to ensure the success of the Games."

There has been progress in other aspects of the preparatory work, Liu said.

The drafting of the Master Plan of the 16th Asian Games has been completed. The locations of the Asian Games Village, Media Village and Main Media Center and other supportive facilities have been decided. The Mascot design solicitation campaign for the Games has been launched and the Asian Games Host City Action Plan has been developed.

(China Daily July 3, 2007)