Some 1,000 senior citizens perform tai chi in the Lixiang Park at Nanshan District, Shenzhen, on Thursday. The performance showed Shenzhen residents¡¯ support for the city¡¯s bid to host the 2011 Universiade.

Top officials of Shenzhen pledged their complete support for the city's bid to host the 26th Summer Universiade when meeting George E. Killian, president of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), on Thursday.

Hosting the Universiade is in line with the development strategy of Shenzhen, said Li Hongzhong, secretary of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC.

"It is a sincere wish of the Chinese Government, the Shenzhen Municipal Government and Shenzhen residents to host the event. Shenzhen has the wish and the capability to hold the 2011 Universiade," said Li.

Li said it will be an honor for Shenzhen to win the Universiade bid. But "what's more important, we regard it as a platform and chance to push the further development of the city," said Li.

Shenzhen Mayor Xu Zongheng also vowed to mobilize all possible resources to take the Universiade to a new height.

Shenzhen has six strong points in its Universiade bid, said Xu. It is the window for China's reform and opening up, a migrant city with youth and vigor, a city with strong education facilities, located in an area densely packed with universities, with quick development of university sports, and good infrastructure and natural environment, he told Killian.

Both Li and Xu asked for Killian's advice on Shenzhen's bidding efforts.

Killian said Shenzhen's bid would be considered in "every conceivable way" before the final decision was made, describing the city as "one of the wonders of the modern world."

Killian also held a meeting with Shenzhen's Universiade bid committee, where he heard presentations by several government officials on Shenzhen's Universiade preparations.

When he heard that there are more than 60 universities and three university towns within an one hour's drive from Shenzhen and that university students here would form a strong team of volunteers, he said: "It's very important. Volunteers are very important to the success of Universiade."

He also showed great interest in Shenzhen's sports venues. He carefully studied the two potential designs for the Universiade Center.

Killian said he was very pleased to hear that the average age of Shenzheners is below 30. "The future of every country lies in the hand of the young people who are highly educated and highly motivated," he said.

Editor: Yan