A ceremony was held at Xiahe Park in Gongshu district, Hangzhou on June 26 to appoint cultural and sports celebrities as observers of the development of cultural tourism along the Grand Canal – a series of waterways in eastern and northern China that link Hangzhou with Beijing.

Around 110 outstanding figures from various fields, including culture, tourism and sports, gathered near the Grand Canal to jointly support the integration of culture, tourism and sports and bolster the canal's development.

They include Huang Yazhou, honorary chairman of the Zhejiang Writers Association, Shen Wei, vice-chairman of the Zhejiang Writers Association, and Olympic champion swimmer Wang Shun. Their appointment period is five years.

They will provide advice and strategies for the integration of culture and tourism in Gongshu district, helping to create a series of iconic cultural, tourism and sports destinations along the canal.

"The Grand Canal is not only a world cultural heritage item but also a universal language. Gongshu district, as the core urban area of Hangzhou, is an important window to showcase the canal's brilliance," said Wang Shun in a video message.