The fireworks show at Opening Ceremony of the 17th Asian Games.

Chinese Delegation marches in.

South Korean singer “Bird” Park Jae-sang performs at Opening Ceremony.

Famous South Korean actress Lee Young-ae (middle) sparks the Olympic Flame at Opening Ceremony.

Xinhua News Agency, Incheon, September 19, 2014—The sky is broadly starlit, and sea breeze gently blows. On the evening of September 19, the 17th Asian Games grandly raises the curtain in Incheon, a port city of South Korea. Delegations of 45 Asian countries and regions enjoy a happy get-together at the opening ceremony to jointly witness sparking of the Asian Games Flame.

The Chinese Delegation consists of 1328 members, including 897 athletes. This marks the largest size of the Chinese Delegation at the Asian Games at abroad. The Chinese Delegation will strive to become No.1 on Gold Medal Standing of the Asian Games for ninth consecutive sessions, enhance friendship, promote harmony, and demonstrate favorable morality and civilization at the Asian Games.

At PM 9:20 local time, South Korean President Park Geun-hye announces the opening of the 17th Asian Games.

This is the third Asian Games in South Korea up to now, following the 10th Asian Games Seoul 1986 and the 14th Asian Games Busan 2002. All athletic associations affiliated to OCA run prizes, and about 14,000 athletes, coaches and officials gather here.

As the first-ever “downsized” Asian Games, Asian Games Incheon stages a total of 36 major events and 439 minor events (including 28 Olympic major events and 297 Olympic minor events). The Chinese Delegation will compete in 408 minor events of 35 major events (except Kabaddi). Except football game commencing in advance, all other events will be comprehensively kicked off since September 20.

In the upcoming 15 days, spectacular match-ups will be on show at Asian Games Incheon. Sun Yang (a Chinese athlete) and Park Tae-hwan (a South Korean athlete) will vie for the throne in the swimming pool. Lin Dan and Lee Chong-wei, two world-class badminton players, will enter into rivalry once again. Moreover, Zou Kai (“Winner of Five Gold Medals” of Olympic Gymnastics), “Dream Team” of the Chinese Diving, Kosuke Hagino (a swimming star of Japan), Jin Jong-oh (a famous shooting player of South Korea)...The Chinese Delegation sends 33 Olympic champions for competitions alone.