An aerial photo taken on June 19, 2021 shows the Xi'an Olympic Sports Center, the venue for the opening ceremony of the 14th National Games. (IC)

XI'AN - Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the 14th National Games open at the Xi'an Olympic Center Stadium on Wednesday evening.

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Billed as China's "mini Olympics", the quadrennial National Games, which was inaugurated in 1959, features the Olympic style program, with the addition of the Chinese martial arts sport of Wushu.

The flag bearer escorts the national flag of the People's Republic of China. The 14th National Games open at the Xi'an Olympic Center Stadium on Sept 15, 2021, in the capital of Northwest China’s Shaanxi province. (XINHUA)

More than 12,000 athletes representing China's provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and specific sporting associations will compete in this year's Games, which will run through to Sept 27.

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The competitions of diving, artistic swimming and rhythmic gymnastics have already concluded before the official opening ceremony.

Xi'an, the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi province, is well-known across the world for the Terracotta Warriors.  

Drummers perform at the opening ceremony of the 14th National Games during the opening ceremony at the Xi'an Olympic Center Stadium on Sept 15, 2021, in the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province. (XINHUA)