China absent as World Games open in Taiwan

The World Games officially began in southern Taiwan on Thursday with a colourful music-and-dance spectacular, but China skipped the opening ceremony for political reasons.

Taiwanese aborigines perform at the main stadium during the World Games opening ceremony in Zouying, Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan.

The 11-day sporting extravaganza kicked off in Kaohsiung with a series of musical and Taiwanese aboriginal dance programmes highlighting the characteristics of the port city and the island.

The World Games draw more than 4,700 athletes from across the globe to compete in 31 sports not included in the Olympics.

No athletes or officials from China, host of the 2008 Olympics, participated in the ceremony, which was shown live on television, but they will compete.

"I now officially declare open the eighth World Games," Ma Ying-jeou said, after he was introduced to the capacity 40,000 Kaohsiung Main Stadium as the president of the Republic of China -- Taiwan's official title.

Earlier, legislator Wu Yu-sheng, who is close to Ma, downplayed the expected absence of China at the opening ceremony.

"This is an arrangement of tacit understanding between the two sides," Wu told AFP, in reference to the Olympic authorities of Taiwan and China.

"My understanding is that while they (Chinese athletes) are not going to attend the opening to avoid the sensitive issue, they would continue to compete throughout the games."

China still regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting to be reunified, by force if necessary, although the island has governed itself since 1949 at the end of a civil war.

Cross-Strait ties have improved dramatically since Ma came to power last year, pledging to forge closer economic and cultural ties in a reversal of the policy followed by the previous administration.

The World Games, held every four years, include sports such as rugby sevens and softball, as well as more unusual events like Latin Dance, artistic roller skating and tug of war.

They will also feature korfball -- a sport similar to basketball but played by teams consisting of four male and four female players, making it the world's only dedicated mixed team sport.