Taipei, July 12 (CNA) Taiwan is set to send a 738-strong team to the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, including 588 athletes, the largest contingent the country has ever sent to the event, a spokesperson for the Sports Administration said Thursday.

At the 2014 games held in Incheon, South Korea, some 400 Taiwanese athletes participated, bagging a total of 51 medals, including 10 gold, 18 silver and 23 bronze.

Wang Shui-wen (王水文), the administration's acting director, said the goal is to win more gold medals this year.

Members of the sports administration are expected to leave for Jakarta on Aug. 1 to make the preparations before the arrival of the athletes, Wang said.

In order to cut down on commuting time, the administration has rented 10 apartment-style hotels close to competition venues as accommodation for the country's athletes, since events will be held both in Jakarta and Palembang, according to the administration.

Taiwanese athletes will compete in 36 of the 40 sporting events in Jakarta, including electronic sports, which is being included as a demonstration sport for the first time this year.

The Asian Games, a multi-sports event held once every four years, will run from Aug. 18 to Sept. 2.

(By Lung Po-an and Ko Lin)
Enditem/AW