A departure ceremony for the Shanxi delegation of the 13th National Games opens in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province on July 26. [Photo/sxgov.cn]

A departure ceremony for the Shanxi delegation of the 13th National Games of the People's Republic of China took place in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, on July 26.

All preliminary contests have ended, with 288 Shanxi athletes entering the finals, a 21 percent increase compared with the 12th games in 2013.

Su Yajun, director of Shanxi Sports Bureau, expressed his approval for the achievement and set out his requirements for the delegation.

"Athletes and coaches should try their best to overcome various difficulties and contribute to promoting Shanxi's image and development," said Su.

Zhang Fuming, vice-governor of Shanxi, presents a Shanxi flag to the head of the delegation. [Photo/sxrb.com]

Zhang Fuming, vice- governor of Shanxi, gave his best wishes to the delegation.

"The national games are a great opportunity for Shanxi to showcase its comprehensive development and soft power," said Zhang.

"I wish you all the best on this trip and expect you to achieve positive results," he added.

The 13th National Games of the People's Republic of China will commence in Tianjin from Aug 27 to Sept 8.

This year's event also included 19 amateur games open to the general public for the first time, including soft ball, Chinese chess, go and draughts.