Testing times

As a sports powerhouse in Asia, China is especially aiming to excel in six sports in which it traditionally enjoys success — table tennis, diving, weightlifting, shooting, gymnastics and badminton.

However, Team China is braced for tough competition from neighbors such as Japan, Republic of Korea and India.

Veteran gymnast Zou Jingyuan, the reigning men's Olympic and world champion on the parallel bars, said the competition at the Asian Games, particularly against archrival Japan, is a valuable rehearsal for Paris 2024.

"China and Japan have developed a strong rivalry in gymnastics, especially on the men's side, over the years. I hope both teams will perform to the highest possible standards to make it a real treat for the audience," said Zou, a member of China's gold medal-winning squad at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.