New Delhi, The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Wednesday said that the coastal city of Shantou in southern China will remain as hosts of the third Asian Youth Games that will be held from November 20 to 28, 2021.

"The OCA while maintaining a very strict isolation policy is still continuing its activity and liaising with the various Asian Games Organizing Committee to ensure that the preparations for the Games are not hindered," said OCA Director General Husain Al Musallam in a letter written to the Presidents and Secretary Generals of all Olympic bodies under its ambit.

"In this respect I have the pleasure to inform you that the OCA in coordination with the Shantou 3rd Asian Youth Games Organizing Committee (SAYGOC) has decided the dates and sports programme of the 3rd Asian Youth Games."

A number of Olympic qualifiers were scheduled to be held this year in China and most of them were shifted out of the country due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic that has killed over 3000 people in the country.

The disease has since spread to most countries around the world, leading to restrictions on movement of people and quarantine measures that ultimately forced the International Olympic Committee to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to August 23, 2021.