SHANTOU, China, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China's Shantou has been awarded the hosting right to the 2021 Asian Youth Games as a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Bangkok on Sunday.

The MoU was signed between the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Shantou municipal government on the hosting of the third Asian Youth Games in 2021, following its previous two editions in Singapore in 2009 and in Nanjing, China in 2013.

"It is the first time for Shantou to host such a large sports event, we believe it will help improve infrastructures in the city and promote the image of the city internationally," said the municipal government in a press release.

The Asian Youth games, the second largest multi sports event after the Asian Games, is to be held every four years for athletes aging 14 to 17 years old from all over the continent.

Located in the eastern part of Guangdong Province, Shantou is one of China's seven special economic zones with a population of 5.6 million.