Torch relay for National Games to take place simultaneously this weekend

The 15th National Games, co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, is set to begin, with the torch relay scheduled for Sunday to take place simultaneously in Macau, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

A press conference held yesterday in Guangzhou outlined the schedule. The launch ceremony will commence at 9 a.m. in Shenzhen, followed at 9:30 a.m. by simultaneous starting ceremonies in Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou, with the relay officially beginning through technological coordination.

Tang Guohua, deputy director of the Large-Scale Events and Volunteer Services Department for the Guangdong Division of the 15th National Games Executive Committee, said the relay will highlight the industrial and technological strengths of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The event will feature smart robotics, autonomous vehicles, and low-altitude aircraft to assist with torch handovers and connect relay segments.

Certain sections of the relay will follow a point-to-point format to link key city landmarks. Macau’s route, themed on cultural integration, will begin at the Government Headquarters and conclude at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, spanning approximately 2.6 kilometers.

Authorities also reported that a streamlined border clearance model will support cross-border coordination, allowing the torch, equipment, torchbearers’ uniforms, and escort attire to move efficiently across borders on the same day.

  Tang emphasized that the plan aims to demonstrate the convenience of the “one-hour living circle” within the GBA.

Torchbearers for Macau will include representatives from the sports sector, youth leaders, and notable community figures, reflecting broad societal participation in the event.