Testing times

"The gymnastics contest at the Asian Games already represents the highest level in the world, so we are approaching it as a serious opportunity to perfect our routines for next year's Olympics," he added.

The results from the 2022 world championships in Liverpool last November bode well for China, with the squad collecting three gold and two silver medals to finish second in the medal table, behind the US but ahead of Japan (two gold, three silver and three bronze).

Intriguing matchups also await China in table tennis, where a surging Japanese side, led by teenage phenomenon Tomokazu Harimoto, is expected to challenge China's dominance, and badminton, which has seen Korean shuttlers overtake Chinese stars on the world stage. At last month's badminton world championships, the ROK flexed its muscles with a hat-trick of titles — women's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles.

"The Asian Games will provide a thorough test of our preparations for Paris 2024, so that we can make timely adjustments to our tactics, talent selection and frontline management," said Zhang Xin, secretary-general of China's Asian Games delegation.

The performance of China's collective "big-ball" teams will also be considered a defining measure of the host delegation's success in Hangzhou, especially after a series of recent setbacks in men's basketball and football on the world stage, Gao asserted.