BEIJING, June 30. /TASS/. The resort city of Sanya in the southern Chinese province of Hainan will host the seventh round of the 2026/27 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on April 17, 2027; this will mark the first Asian round of the new season, the competition organizers announced.

The new-generation GEN4 cars will make their Chinese track debut. The Sanya round will be part of the championship, which includes 21 races in 13 cities around the world. Formula E co-founder and Chief Championship Officer Alberto Longo noted that the Sanya circuit is challenging for drivers and that hosting one of the season’s first races there with the new cars was a deliberate choice by the organizers. According to him, the event will also mark the return of the Formula E Championship to Sanya after seven years. The announcement also pointed out that the race will be broadcast in 195 countries and regions worldwide.

City authorities view hosting international sporting events as key to developing the tourism industry. According to official data, passenger traffic through the island’s checkpoints reached 1.654 million people in the first six months following the launch of the special customs regime for the free trade port, an increase of 31.2% year-over-year.

Sanya has already hosted major international events, including the 6th Asian Beach Games and the Hainan International Film Festival. The city will also host the HYROX World Finals in the near future.

Sanya officials say tourism development is driven by a visa-free policy for citizens of 86 countries - part of the Free Trade Port policy - and the expansion of international air service. Sanya currently serves 36 international routes to 28 overseas destinations.

According to a city official, Sanya intends to continue developing its infrastructure to host international sports and cultural events. Sanya hopes to strengthen its position as a leading venue for such events in the Asia-Pacific region.