A three-day chefs de mission seminar is underway in Hangzhou, the capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, with 45 delegation chiefs of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in Asia assembling to learn the latest updates on the Hangzhou Asian Games preparations.

The Hangzhou organizing committee will report on competition services, anti-doping work, venue preparations, athletes' accreditation, accommodation, catering services, finance and media operations. 

As of today, the construction and inspection of all 56 competition venues and 31 training facilities have been completed, and Asian Games Villages are ready to host guests.  

Kenneth Fok, the chef de mission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said they will send the largest-ever sport delegation to the Hangzhou Asian Games, with more than 1,200 members, including 860 athletes.

"We achieved brilliant results at [the] last Asian Games, with one gold, two silvers and three bronze medals. I will particularly pay attention to the sports that we are good at, such as fencing and swimming." 

He went on to say that "I  am here with another identity as the president of Asian Electronic Sports Federation. E-sports will be included as a formal sport for the first time in Hangzhou; it is a historical and iconic event. I hope E-sports can develop better." 

During their stay in Hangzhou, the delegation chiefs will visit competition and non-competition venues of the Games, with a series of cultural activities also on the agenda to offer them a better understanding of the host city. 

The last chefs de mission seminar of the Hangzhou Asian Games was held virtually in September 2021.

The 19th edition of the multi-sports Games, second in size only to the Summer Olympics, was scheduled to take place from September 10 to 25 in 2022, but was forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to be rescheduled to September 23 to October 8, 2023, followed by the Asian Para Games from October 22 to 28.

Athletes will compete for 483 gold medals in 61 disciplines across 40 sports at the Asian Games.

(With input from Xinhua)