Sanya, April 23 -- The 6th Asian Beach Games opened on Wednesday evening in China's tropical resort city of Sanya, with the opening ceremony held at the seaside Yasha Park.

Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin declared the Games open after 45 delegations marched in for the continental event, which had originally been scheduled to take place in 2020.

The 75-minute ceremony was structured around three themed segments, "Passion of Sea and Sky," "Dreams of the Deep Blue" and "Connecting the World," highlighting ocean culture and the diversity of Asia.

After being postponed twice, chiefly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sanya Games has attracted around 10,000 participants, including more than 1,600 athletes.

The Games marks the first time ...