Foreign athletes embrace culture, innovation at Chengdu World Games

The World Games is not only a major sports event but also a platform for international exchanges, according to Yin Jian, director of Chengdu's municipal center for promoting opening-up and cooperation. "Chengdu is fully showcasing its openness and vitality through this international event," Yin said. To facilitate travel and spending for visitors, Chengdu has enabled 65,000 merchants to accept foreign card payments and now supports 21 international e-wallets for seamless transactions.

Chengdu also hosts 427 stores with tax refund services, including 103 that offer instant tax refunds. Additionally, foreign bank cards can now be used directly on the city's buses and metro, while some tourist attractions, airports and metro hubs have provided multilingual guidance.

Athletes have also been impressed by the technological innovation. During the Games, China-developed robots for patrolling, retail and delivery were deployed to support event services. "The use of these robots has enhanced the athletes' experience and created more opportunities for our products," said Zeng Qi, chief technology officer of Eventec, a Chengdu-based technology company.

Another highlight is the smart glasses, which are capable of real-time translation in over 40 languages and have attracted widespread interest among athletes. "The Games provide an excellent platform for innovative companies like us, bringing in more opportunities for cross-border cooperation and international expansion," said Liu Yu of Sichuan INMO Technology Co Ltd, the developer of the glasses.