Liu Xia (left), deputy mayor of Wuxi and Liu Tong, deputy director of the Jiangsu provincial bureau of sports, unveil the mascot, logo and poster for the competition during the press conference. [Photo by Xiang Wenjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

"As a traditional sport with long history, fencing nowadays is seeing a rise in popularity in China," said Wang Haibin, chairman of the China Fencing Association and director of the 2018 World Fencing Championships organizing committee. According to Wang, the fencing athletes registered in China thus far have topped more than 1,000, with about 100 fencing clubs and training centers across the country.

He affirmed Wuxi's efforts in preparing the sports event, pointing out that hosting the 2018 World Fencing Championships will boost the sport's popularity not just in Wuxi but across the country. "It will further increase fencing's popularity in China, infusing new vitality into Wuxi's sports industry as well as the city development."

In Nov, 2015, Wuxi beat the Japanese city of Fukuoka with 69 votes against 47, becoming the first city in China to hold such an event. It is also home to Absolute Force, the world's largest fencing equipment supplier, and, in 2016, it successfully held the Asian Fencing Championships.