One year after the hosting of the exceptional Beijing Olympic Games, the 11th National Games, billed as China's mini-Olympics, opened amid a splendid ceremony here Friday evening. Chinese President Hu Jintao officially opened the Games at the ceremony held in the newly built Olympic Sports Complex in this capital city of east China's Shandong province.

With 55 of all 63 Chinese Beijing Olympic champions expected to compete, the quadrennial national meet is set to stage another sports gala for the country which just celebrated its 60th birthday.

Among those present at the ceremony are President of International Olympic Committee (IOC) Jacques Rogge, who was re-elected at the 121st IOC Session held in Copenhagen just one week ago, and a dozen of IOC members.

Photo taken on Oct. 16, 2009 shows the art performance at the opening ceremony of the 11th Chinese National Games in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province

When addressing the full capacity of 60,000 at the ceremony, Liu Peng, director-general of State General Administration of Sports and President of the Organizing Committee of the 11th National Games, said a successful staging of the National Games will be a perfect gift dedicated to the country's 60th birthday.

"The National Games has contributed a lot to the development of Chinese sport in the past 50 years. We must build on what we have achieved since the Beijing Olympics, make our country much stronger in sport and promote the national fitness program as well," Liu added.

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