In a historic first for any major global sports event, the flame for China's 15th National Games and the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities, as well as the 9th National Special Olympics Games, was lit on October 9 by "Source Fire" harvested from the deep sea. This groundbreaking achievement took place in Guangzhou's Nansha District, within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

The "Source Fire" was ignited at a depth of 1,522 meters in the South China Sea. Using a remotely operated submersible, China's scientific team collected flammable ice (natural gas hydrate). The methane gas released from it was successfully ignited in situ using solar-derived electricity transmitted to the seabed, creating the "Source Fire."

This innovative ceremony, which involved igniting the torch of the games with "Source Fire" from ocean depths, highlights the GBA's advancements in deep-sea technology and its commitment to clean energy exploration. The "Source Fire" symbolizes a breakthrough in technologies related to high-end unmanned deep-sea equipment, ultra-deep-sea energy detection, collection, and ignition.

Following the ceremony, the flame is set to travel across Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, with the torch relay scheduled for November.