Chinese Vice Premier calls for athletic excellence, sportsmanship at Tokyo Olympics

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, talks to cycling athletes in Beijing on June 17, 2021 while paying a visit to the State General Administration of Sport. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan calls for the country's elite athletes to strive for athletic excellence and show good sportsmanship at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Wednesday called for the country's elite athletes to strive for athletic excellence and show good sportsmanship at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks while meeting with the Tokyo-bound delegation in Beijing.

She encouraged the athletes to go all out on the Olympic arena and win glory for the nation.

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan takes a group photo with the Chinese delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Beijing on July 14, 2021. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

The Chinese delegation for Tokyo 2020 has 777 members including 431 athletes, the country's largest representation in an overseas Olympic Games.

The team includes 298 female athletes, more than twice the 133 male competitors. They will compete in 225 medal events across 30 sports.

The Tokyo Olympics, delayed by one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will open on July 23.