According to a mobilization meeting held in Haikou on Feb 14, the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities will be held in Sanya, Hainan province in November 2023. It will also be the first national comprehensive sports event hosted by Hainan.
The game is a high-profile and large-scale national comprehensive ethnic sports event held once every four years. It consists of two categories: competitions and performances. There are 18 competition categories such as swing, national martial arts, crossbow shooting, and dragon boat racing. Hainan's "coconut tree climb racing" is expected to be added to the game for the first time. The performances will cover songs, dances, and skill shows which will display cultures in China.
A player makes his way up in the National Coconut Tree Climb Invitational Tournament. [Photo/VCG]
"There is a difference between the National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities and other comprehensive competitive events. It is not only a competitive sports game, but also a stage for ethnic cultural exchanges, display, inheritance, and development," Fu Xiurong, deputy director of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission of Hainan Province said.
According to Fu, the Hainan Provincial Party Committee and the Hainan Provincial Government attach great importance to this event with various preparatory work in Sanya going in full swing. The Sanya International Industrial Park Stadium, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya River, and other competition venues have been preliminarily determined.
Next, the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission of Hainan Province will organize a collection for the event image recognition system, a torch design, and a theme song. The commission will also start to discuss the overall plan for the opening and closing ceremonies.
Overview
Haikou 
Sanya 
