mk mascots for the 15th National Games, inspired by the Chinese white dolphin, a nationally protected wildlife species. The white mascot is named Xiyangyang, while the pink one is Lerongrong.Photo: Courtesy of Liu Pingyun" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-01-14/45961499-ddeb-48bd-be3c-cf1ad7e2c3db.jpeg" />

The mascots for the 15th National Games, inspired by the Chinese white dolphin, a nationally protected wildlife species. The white mascot is named Xiyangyang, while the pink one is Lerongrong.Photo: Courtesy of Liu Pingyun

The official licensed products of China's 15th National Games were launched on Monday, which marked the beginning of the 300-day countdown to the Games to be held in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area later in 2025, the Publicity Department of the Guangdong division executive committee of the Games told the Global Times that same day. 

"There are a total of 20 types of official licensed products, such as plush mascot toys and emblem fridge magnets. For the first time, we created a universal emblem and mascot for the National Games, the National Games for Persons with Disabilities, and the National Special Olympic Games," Liu Pingyun, head of the design team of the official emblems and mascots for the National Games, told the Global Times on Monday. 

The mascots for the Games were inspired by the Chinese white dolphin, a nationally protected wildlife species. The white mascot is named Xiyangyang, while the pink one is Lerongrong. Both symbolize joy, harmony, and unity. 

The emblem resembles the moment a firework bursts, with three colors symbolizing the iconic flowers of each region in the Greater Bay Area.

The white dolphin highlights the ecological conservation development of the Greater Bay Area. The emblem symbolizes the other key phrase "beautiful life." "We want to make the Games a sports carnival that engages the public in mass fitness and helps realize their aspirations for a beautiful life," Liu noted. 

"We are expecting to launch over 100,000 licensed products before the Spring Festival. I believe the on-sale dates will be released soon," Yu Weijian, vice director of the Marketing Department of the Guangdong division executive committee of the Games, told the Global Times. 

The National Games will be held from November 9 to 21 and feature 34 competitive sports and 23 mass sports activities. 

It will mark the first time that Hong Kong and Macao will co-host the nation's largest, highest-level sporting event, the first edition of which was launched in 1959.

Since mass sports activities were included in the Games in 2017, ordinary people have become one of the protagonists of this national event, underscoring the idea of putting the people at the center of the country's sports development and making it one of the important measures for China to continuously promote the reform of the sports industry.

The coming Games will feature 19 mass sports activities, including football, tennis, roller skating, dragon boat racing, Xiangqi and bowling. 

Most of them will be completed before the opening ceremony of the Games. 

Dai Jiacheng, an official from the Chinese Football Association, told the Global Times on Monday that over 160 eligible teams have signed up for the mass football event. 

"The teams will compete in 5-a-side, 7-a-side and beach football," Dai noted. 

Guangdong will host most of the events, while Macao will be home to four events, including table tennis and women's 3x3 basketball, while Hong Kong will host eight, including golf, fencing and beach volleyball.

The Guangdong Olympic Sports Center, which hosted the 9th National Games in 2001, is currently under renovation. 

The highlights of the renovation are reflected in two aspects, one is the venue's functional aspects, and the other is its social aspects. The center will be turned into a mass sports space after the Games, according to a report by the China Sports Daily on Monday. 

While looking forward to a new crop of young athletes making their mark on the national stage, the Games will see some iconic Chinese athletes' last dance. 

China's star sprinter Su Bingtian said in December that he intends to retire after the 15th National Games, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

"I hope to contribute my strength to my hometown and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. I will try my best to bring my career to a good conclusion at the National Games," said the 34-year-old.

China's table tennis legend Ma Long told the Beijing Youth Daily that these should be his last National Games. 

"I'm still working hard to prepare for this important event, but the laws of sports tell me that this will not be easy. If I can meet the physical requirements at that time, I will fight for Beijing without hesitation," said the Olympic champion, who has represented Beijing four times at the Games.