Asiad: China ready to make sure sun shines on Asian Games

China is prepared to go all-out to ensure a sunny start to the Asian Games in Guangzhou next week, with weather control aircraft and rain-dispersal rockets at the ready in the southern city.

The head of the Guangdong provincial weather bureau, Yu Yong, said five planes loaded with cloud-busting chemicals would be deployed in the run-up to the Asiad opening ceremony on November 12, state media said Friday.

Rain-dispersal rockets have also been prepared, the Global Times reported.

Nearly 12,000 athletes from 45 nations and territories will participate in the Asiad - the world's biggest sporting event after the Olympic Games - which will run through November 27.

China made similar efforts for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics when more than 1,100 rockets were fired into the skies to break up clouds around the Bird's Nest National Stadium.

sst/slb