Beijing aims for 90% progress of Olympic construction in 2020

Beijing is aiming for 90% completion of the construction and renovation of the 2022 Winter Olympics venues this year, said officials of the Beijing 2022 organizing committee and the Beijing major projects office.

Photo taken on Dec. 31, 2019 shows the National Speed Skating Oval, also known as the "Ice Ribbon", in Beijing, capital of China.  [Photo/Xinhua]

By the end of 2019, 48 of the 52 construction projects for the Games had started, and 24 have been finished.

In 2020, construction of all the new stadiums in Beijing's urban areas and Yanqing district will complete, including the National Speed Skating Oval, the National Alpine Ski Center, and the National Sliding Center, said Wang Gang, an official of the Beijing Major Projects Construction Headquarters Office. Meanwhile, renovations of the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) and the Wukesong Arena will also start this year.

Work on the transportation facilities serving the 2022 Games are also pacing up. The Beijing-Zhangjiakou High Speed Railway opened late last year, and the Beijing-Chongli expressway will complete construction and be put into operation very soon, bringing the suburban Yanqing district into the "one-hour travel circle" with Beijing's urban areas, Wang said.

The 2022 Games will primarily take advantage of the legacy venues of the Beijing 2008 Summer Games, and post-Games use of the Olympic facilities have been taken into consideration during the design and planning process, Wang said.

For example, the National Speed Skating Oval will be capable of hosting various sports and culture events in addition to public recreational use, while the venues in Yanqing will be used as a training base for both domestic and international sports teams.

Moreover, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will be the first Olympic Games in history where all venues are powered by green and renewable energy.