The 12th World Games officially began on Thursday night with an opening ceremony in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Running from August 7 to 17, the Chengdu World Games will feature 34 sports, 60 disciplines and 256 events with approximately 4,000 athletes from around 110 countries and regions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the important role of sports in promoting inclusiveness and mutual learning among different civilizations on different occasions.

Here are some of Xi's key quotes on the importance of sports.