XI'AN, China, Sept. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- China's ancient city of Xi'an, capital of China's western Shaanxi Province, hosted the 2018 Belt and Road World Bodybuilding and Fitness Elite Ranking Event & IFBB Elite Pro Card Qualification ("the Event"), as the one-time national capital and starting point of the historical Silk Road continues to reestablish its role as an international portal to the outside world with traditional charm and fashionable vitality.

The Event, the largest and highest-level bodybuilding and fitness competition ever held in China, attracted over 400 athletes from 41 countries and regions that fall within China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), or "Modern Silk Road," which aims to link China with Eurasian countries via a series of infrastructure projects that follow ancient trade routes.

"I'm convinced that the bodybuilding and fitness competition will be a model for sports exchanges among countries along the BRI and boost Xi'an's image as an interconnected metropolis on the world stage," said Shangguan Jiqing, Mayor of Xi'an. "Xi'an, as the starting city of the ancient Silk Road and a linchpin of China's BRI program, bears the responsibility of building itself into a new high ground for inland reform and opening-up and an international portal to the outside world."

Themed "Belt and Road," the bodybuilding and fitness competition offered a world-class arena and a wonderful cultural exhibition during which numerous athletes put on great displays of their fashionable and vigorous sports. Those displays put Xi'an into the global spotlight, underscoring the city's role as a catalyst of integration for the BRI.

Embracing the BRI, Xi'an has taken an active part in cooperating with countries along the Silk Road in areas including politics, economy and culture. For sports, the city has held a series of significant events such as the Xi'an International Marathon, Xi'an City Wall Marathon and Belt and Road Xi'an International Basketball Championship Tournament.

About Xi'an

The capital of China's western Shaanxi province, Xi'an is an international tourist destination with over 3,000 years of history and world-renowned attractions such as the Terracotta Warriors and Horses and its ancient City Wall. The city, dubbed "China's outdoor museum," was the starting point of the Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes established during China's Han Dynasty that linked the East and the West in commerce.

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SOURCE Xi'an Municipal Government