This photo shows a view of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept. 23, 2023. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has hailed the Hangzhou Asian Games opening ceremony as "a perfect combination of digital innovation and human gracefulness".

Bach witnessed the opening ceremony Saturday night with 80,000 spectators at the lotus-shaped Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium. The two-hour ceremony showcased the ancient history of Hangzhou through digital innovation. With technical innovations, including a digital torchbearer who lit the flame alongside Olympic swimming champion Wang Shun, the ceremony celebrated Hangzhou as a center of China's tech industry.

"This opening ceremony was a perfect combination of digital innovation and human gracefulness," said the IOC President on its official website on Sunday. "Congratulations to China on this inspiring event."

Around 12,500 athletes from 45 countries and regions are participating in the 19th Asian Games, which includes 40 sports and 481 events.

"The Asian Games will set new standards. We will see many new sports. We will experience an organization that leverages the digital expertise of China and Hangzhou, especially what the Alibaba headquarters offers," Bach said at the Athletes' Village on Saturday.

"We will witness Games organized sustainably, with a focus on reducing the carbon footprint and comprehensive waste management. Overall, these will be Games that athletes will enjoy."