The fifth Special Olympics Games of China kicked off Sunday night in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, as the typhoon Fanapi approached the coastal southeast China city.

Despite intermittent rains and strong winds in the afternoon, organizers still staged the outdoor opening ceremony but had to cancel some shows for safety considerations.

More than 1,700 athletes from China's 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, as well as delegations from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, are participating in the week-long Games. They will compete in 11 events, including swimming, table tennis, badminton and basketball.

The United States, South Korea and Singapore also sent delegations to attend the Games' non-sporting events, such as the youth summit, leadership program and healthy athletes program, which address the needs and rehabilitation of people who are mentally handicapped.

The Special Olympics Games of China have been held every four years since 1987.