More than 60,000 people from home and abroad witnessed the opening ceremony of the festival, jointly organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Bureau of Tourism and the municipal government of Jiaxing city.

The tide, located near the coast of Haining where the Qianjiang River pours into the sea has been famous since ancient times. This year's tide-watching festival is the sixth since 1994.

The five-day festival will feature a lantern exhibition, local opera performances, open-field films and other events as well, the organizers said

(Eastday)