The Third World Mahjong Championship kicked off in Qianjiang, Southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, on October 27. More than 300 selected competitors from 20 nations and regions will take part in the four-day long event, Xinhua reported.

A total 24 nations and regions have joined the World Mahjong Organization, up from eight in 2005. Previous host cities to the championships include Chengdu, Sichuan Province in 2007, and Utrecht, Netherlands, and both of the winners were Chinese players, according to the report.

This growing interest in this Chinese traditional game has spiked media discussion over whether the popularization of mahjong among foreigners illustrates a successful case of Chinese soft power.