The Fifth Mister World Competition kicked off on Sunday morning as more than 40 contestants from around the world practiced Taijiquan, a kind of Chinese traditional shadow boxing, in China's tropical resort of Sanya.

To date, contestants from more than 64 countries and regions around the world have confirmed participation in the competition, according to the Sanya municipal government.

The rest of the contestants will arrive before the final, which will be held on March 31 and broadcast live worldwide to a potential audience of over a billion, said Li Boqing, vice mayor of Sanya .

The Mister World 2007, the first of its kind to be held in China, will select the most desirable men who are healthy, handsome, brave, thoughtful, and responsible.

To test their character and will power, the contestants will participate in a variety of challenging activities including marine training, outdoor life challenges, talent performances, and cooking contests.

Sanya, China's southernmost city in the island province of Hainan, hosted the Miss World pageants from 2003 to 2005.

The Mister World contest has been staged biennially since 1996. The last contest was held in London in 2003, where Gustavo Cabral Narciso from Brazil was crowned the fourth Mr. World.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2007)