SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Chinese Americans from various communities Saturday gathered in an annual multi-sport event in Union City, northern California.

The 16th Chinese American Athletic Tournament, organized by the Northern California Chinese Culture-Athletic Foundation (NCCCAF), feature basketball, soccer, track and field, badminton, high-jumping and Chinese Kung Fu (martial arts) competitions. This year's edition drew participants from nearly 150 Chinese groups and organizations in the Bay Area, including professors, engineers, retired workers, students and kids.

Wang Donghua, who arrived in San Francisco as the new Chinese consul general three days ago, said the NCCCAF, as a spontaneous unofficial organization, has been making unremitting efforts to organize the sports event over the past 16 years.

"The gathering is an important platform for people from various Chinese communities to exchange sports skills, build up physical health, cement coherence and unity, enhance harmony and boost friendship," Wang said.

He hoped the NCCCAF will continue to shoulder its responsibility to better serve the Chinese community, unite overseas Chinese with a greater cohesive power, carry forward the traditional Chinese culture, and contribute to building a healthier China-U.S. relationship.

San Francisco Former Union City Mayor Mark Green said the sports event highlights the great cooperation between China and the United States, adding that this is just another example of the close relationship that the two countries are enjoying regardless the trade tensions.

"This is still a great relationship here in the Bay Area," he said.

A group of students from Shaolin Temple U.S.A performed the martial arts of the Shaolin Temple, a Buddhist monastery in Henan province that is famed for the typical fighting styles of Kung Fu.

Kaitlyin Tran, a 17-year-old girl who is a 12 grader and a member of the Shaolin Kung Fu team, said she has participated in the NCCCAF-led tournament for three times and will take part in a contest in the Kung Fu event Saturday afternoon.

"Such an event inspires my passion for sports and spirit of staying strong and powerful," she said.