CNR:

China's winter sports industry started relatively late, and there is a lack of high-level organizational talent. I would like to know how the BOCOG promotes the development and nurturing of talent based on the needs of hosting competitions? Thank you.

Yan Cheng:

Let me answer your question. Thank you for your attention to the organizational talent recruitment for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Indeed, just as you said, the foundation of China's ice and snow sports is relatively weak, and there is a lack of high-level organizing talents. Since its establishment, the BOCOG has conscientiously studied and implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on the preparation of the Winter Olympics and the cultivation of talent, fully implemented the new ideas, new strategies and new measures for talent work in the new era, and focused on selecting and promoting talents with a global perspective, and exploiting the institutional advantages to cultivate talents in a systematic way, all while striving to attract talents from across the world and give play to their expertise. Next, I would introduce the following aspects:

First, we have strengthened the organizing teams by introducing 86 policies for talents and establishing and improving the mechanisms for talents development and management, such as selecting officials, recruiting staff, experts, and interns, in order to pool more talented people. Particularly, we have launched international recruitment and selected a number of foreign staff who worked for previous OCOGs and returnees from overseas study, which, to some extent, have improved the BOCOG's talents structure.

Second, we have developed and fostered professional talents with a focus on cultivating domestic talents through our own efforts. During the past six years, we have altogether cultivated more than 4,000 domestic technicians, 23,000 event service and support staff, and a large number of technicians in ice-making and resurfacing, snow-making and pressing, and so on. As for the shortage of a small number of talents, we have stepped up international exchange and cooperation, selected and recruited 40 foreign experts from 18 nations, and opened 400 jobs globally to employ foreign professionals. Thus, we have advanced the cultivation of domestic talents to some extent while undertaking the task of hosting events.

Third, we have made good use of talents through multiple measures. As the 2022 Winter Olympics enters the stage of event trail operation, we have emphasized that all kinds of talents should stay in their positions in venues. We have sent selected members from BOCOG to work in venues, and also employed a group of temporary staff from all sectors in host cities to participate in hosting the Games. Meanwhile, we have arranged volunteers and contractors to come to work on time. To date, all operating teams in competition and non-competition venues have been established, and the staff is ready in their positions. All kinds of talents will play their due roles in the venues. Thank you.