Ten thousand Chinese table tennis players will compete in Tiananmen Square this summer in one of the world's largest outdoor competitions.
The tournament is set to cause a major stir among locals as table tennis' popularity in China is similar to that of basketball in the US.
"We plan to hold 347 sports events this year and they are open to every citizen. But I think nothing is more exciting than playing pingpong at Tiananmen Square," Sun Kanglin, head of the municipal sports bureau, told state media news agency, Xinhau.
China has become a favourite among backpackers over the last ten years as it has embraced western culture while carefully preserving its own unique heritage.
Some are drawn to the country to experience the world's fastest growing economy at first-hand, with its remarkable pace of economic and societal change.
Meanwhile, many fly east to discover the country's rich history of emperors, ancient temples, hidden mountain retreats and a political system unlike any other on earth.
Dates of the table tennis tournament are yet to be announced but it is scheduled to take place in either June or July.
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