ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Africa's largest annual road race, the Great Ethiopian Run (GER) is expected to attract 30 Chinese runners, an Ethiopian official said on Wednesday.

　　Ermias Ayele, the race director at GER, told Xinhua that the 30 Chinese participants are expected to attend the 10km race which will be held on Nov. 18.

　　"GER has been working with the Ethiopian Airlines Beijing office to attract Chinese tourists to participate in the road race, while it has partnered with Chinese Athletics Association (CAA) to publicize GER at prestigious Chinese athletics events like the Beijing and Shanghai marathons," said Ayele.

　　The East African country attracted 45,307 Chinese tourists in 2017, a trend that the Ethiopian government expects to grow in the coming years.

　　Ayele also expects 500 international participants from 26 countries and regions, out of a total number of 47,500 runners at the athletics event.

　　The 10km GER was inaugurated in 2001 by Ethiopian running legend Haile Gebreselassie as part of his efforts to turn running from an elite sport into a hobby for the masses.