China is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to jointly promote the cause of the Olympic movement in the region and enhance the unity of the Asian people, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with OCA Acting President Raja Randhir Singh in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province. Singh is in Hangzhou to attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games scheduled for Saturday.

Xi expressed his gratitude to Singh and the OCA for their long-term positive contributions to promoting the development of sports in China, especially for the preparation and organization of the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The Games will soon kick off with the joint support of the OCA and the Olympic family in Asia, Xi stressed. This is China's third Asian Games after the 1990 Beijing Asian Games and the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and the numbers of athletes and the events in this year's Asian Games are at a record high, he noted.

The Chinese government and the Chinese people are fully confident that the Games will be an exciting sporting event with Chinese characteristics and Asian style, which will enhance the unity and friendship of the Asian people and leave an unforgettable memory of Hangzhou for the whole world, said Xi.

Singh, on behalf of the OCA, thanked the Chinese government for its support for the development of the Asian Olympic movement and for organizing the Hangzhou Asian Games.

He said that the venues and facilities in Hangzhou are advanced and impressive, and the Chinese people are very warm and friendly, making the athletes and guests feel at home.

He wished the Hangzhou Asian Games a wonderful success and expected China to continue to make important contributions to the development of Asian sports.