GUANGZHOU (China), Nov 18: China’s southern provincial capital of Guangzhou is considering hosting the Asian Games and has won the support of a senior member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), state press said Sunday.

“You have world-class sports facilities such as the Olympic Center, the new indoor Guangzhou stadium and rowing center,” IOC executive board member He Zhenliang told the Guangzhou Daily.

“You are in a position to host the Asian Games,” he said.

He, who is also the honorary chairman of the China Olympic Committee, was attending the ongoing China National Games, a mini-Olympics that is being attended by some 8,500 of China’s best athletes.

Chinese sports officials here at the games said Guangzhou was researching the possibility to bid for the 2010 Asian Games, following next years Asiad in Pusan, South Korea and the 2006 Asian Games in Malaysia.—AFP