China's Jinjiang City to host 2020 Gymnasiade for teens

A Chinese city Sunday won the bid to host Gymnasiade 2020, an international multisport event for teens organized by the International School Sport Federation (ISF).

Jinjiang in southeastern China's Fujian Province, a melting pot of migrant workers, won the race to host Gymnasiade 2020 in a secret ballot of ISF executive committee members, becoming the second Chinese city to host the popular event after its 11th edition in Shanghai in 1998.

In a letter to ISF President Laurent Petrynka, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong acknowledged ISF's "tremendous and consistent efforts in promoting sports exchanges among the (world's) young people, helping them build their sportsmanship and foster health development."

The letter was read out at the voting conference by the Chinese Ambassador to Italy, Li Ruiyu.

It said the Chinese government, valuing the development of sports and the health of the youth, stands behind Jinjiang's bid to host the 2020 edition, which is "ardently expected" by 260 million young students in China.

The vice premier said the government will support and guarantee Fujian's commitment to provide security, accommodation and other logistics for the event.

Liu said Jinjiang has the capability to organize an exceptional and dynamic Gymnasiade, so as to promote the friendship of young students of all countries and make contributions to inter-cultural exchanges and mutual learning.

The Gymnasiade, an event meant for under-19s, is held every two years. Its first edition was hosted by Germany in 1974.