Participants of ITTF Asian Chamionships tours around Wuxi

Bruce Burton (left), executive vice-president of the International Table Tennis Federation talks with China Daily reporter Dominic Morgan in the Turtle Head Isle Park in Wuxi on April 14. [Photo by Pan Qi/wuxinews.com.cn]

A group of table tennis players, coaches and umpires taking part in the Seamaster 23rd ITTF Asian Championships in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, took a short break from the action in the Wuxi Sports Center to enjoy a sightseeing trip around some of the city's famous attractions on April 14.

The ping-pong stars' first stop was Turtle Head Isle, the park set on a beautiful stretch of Taihu Lake, which they explored for an hour before heading to Huishan ancient town, a picturesque cluster of traditional buildings at the foot of Huishan Mountain.

Many of the group members were impressed by the lovely spring scenery.

Malaysian umpire Md Jamir Riduan poses for a photo at the Turtle Head Isle in Wuxi on April 14. [Photo by Pan Qi/wuxinews.com.cn]

"I learned from websites that China is a very beautiful country: This is why I came here today. I want to enrich myself, the scenery, the people of China. And I find out that it is good and the weather is very good, " said Malaysian umpire Md Jamir Riduan, while relaxing in the sun at Turtle Head Isle.

Riduan also mentioned that it was nice to go sightseeing on such a brilliant sunny day, as his schedule and the frequent rain had previously confined him to his hotel and the sports center since arriving in China.

Besides the important matches, this year's ITTF Asian Championships has some personal significance to Macao's player Tao Chong, whose ancestors were from Wuxi. She had heard about the beautiful city from her relatives, but visiting the ancient town of Huishan allowed her to experience the beauty and antiquity of her ancestral hometown for the first time.

Tao Chong (far right), a table tennis player from Macao, enjoys traveling around the hometown of her ancestors with her teammates at the Turtle Head Isle Park in Wuxi on April 14. [Photo by Pan Qi/wuxinews.com.cn]