STORY: Foreign media workers' view of Hangzhou Asian Games opening ceremony
DATELINE: Sept. 25, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:33
LOCATION: HANGZHOU, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Asian Games
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): TAHARUMALENGAM AVINESHWARAN, Journalist, Malaysia's Star Media Group
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NURFARIHA ABDUL RAZAK, Commentator, ASTRO
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): TSAHIROU ABDOUA, Journalist, Niger News Agency
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): AHMAD HAFEZ, Journalist, Kuwait Olympic Committee

STORYLINE:

The opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games was held Saturday night in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.

The two-hour ceremony showcased the ancient history of Hangzhou through digital innovation, leaving a deep impression on foreign media workers.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): TAHARUMALENGAM AVINESHWARAN, Journalist, Malaysia's Star Media Group
"Seeing the crowd in the stadium, the amount of welcome they give shows how important these games are to the Chinese public. It kind of reminded me of how Beijing 2008 (Olympics) was done. I was watching it on the television and marveling at every move that was done by the organizers."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NURFARIHA ABDUL RAZAK, Commentator, ASTRO
"I think during the first chapter on the water and then they had the boat. I think it's very classic and very traditional. I love it. It's very refreshing. And also I think it's very good that you guys try to balance the modern and the traditional one, and combine them. It's very amazing."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): TSAHIROU ABDOUA, Journalist, Niger News Agency
"I think it's a good message, because Chinese people's lives are based on relationship between nature and human being. So I see most of the things, a link of nature, environment, and people."

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): AHMAD HAFEZ, Journalist, Kuwait Olympic Committee
"The (opening) ceremony was very amazing. And it's like the slogan 'Heart to Heart, @Future.' That is the slogan of the (19th) Asian Games. I feel this is the future here and it was a very amazing experience for me."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hangzhou, China.
(XHTV)