China.org.cn | June 20, 2023
Red Star News:
We understand that Zhejiang is working on building a Digital Zhejiang, and Hangzhou is establishing itself as a leading city in China's digital economy. The Hangzhou Asian Games will embody the "smart" Asian Games in all aspects. The "One Stop Platform for Smart Asian Games," a one-stop digital service platform for watching the Games, was launched in 2021. Can you talk about how this platform will provide services to enhance the spectator experience? Thank you.
Yao Gaoyuan:
I'll answer this question. Leading up to the Asian Games, many viewers have been paying attention to how the spectator experience can be improved through digital technologies. As is well known, 20 years ago, when General Secretary Xi Jinping worked in Zhejiang, he proactively proposed a major strategic plan for building a digital Zhejiang. After years of development, the digital economy has become Zhejiang's primary development initiative, and digital transformation has become a major systemic reform. Digital technologies have empowered hundreds of industries and sectors, delivering significant benefits.
Against this backdrop, in our preparation for the Asian Games, we introduced a concept centered on leveraging digital technologies to enhance the Games, intending to create a "smart" Asian Games as a standout feature. The "One Stop Platform for Smart Asian Games," which the reporter just mentioned, is a typical application scenario in our empowerment of the Asian Games with digital technologies. It could be said that this one-stop digital service platform for watching games is the first such platform for an international multi-sport event. This platform was launched in 2021, and since then, it has attracted over 3.3 billion visits and over 50 million registered users. There are many functions, and I would like to briefly describe some of them.
First, it offers a service for watching the Games. The "One Stop Platform" provides a daily competition schedule during the Asian Games, which can be detailed down to every hour. The platform also offers daily cultural information, as there are many cultural activities. It provides ticket information for sports events and a series of supporting services. The integration of sports events with artificial intelligence offers services and creates a personalized spectator experience. That is the service for watching the Games.
Second, it provides travel services. If you want to go to a specific venue, the platform can help you arrive at the venue more conveniently, quickly and in the shortest time. Our travel service, leveraging artificial intelligence, offers customized itineraries to Asian Games venues. It formulates plans through various modes of travel, such as buses, subways and bicycles. Through the intelligent arrangement of such a "One Stop Platform," people can reach the competition venue they want to go to in the shortest time and in the most convenient way.
Third, it offers a food service. China has an enduring food culture. Zhejiang, in particular, has many specialties, allowing people to fully enjoy delicious food. Being able to enjoy food is also an important experience during the Games. Utilizing big data algorithms, we have curated a list of delicious foods, enabling you to conveniently search for restaurants with local specialties in Zhejiang and Hangzhou city. You can also use navigation to search for global cuisines nearby. We have athletes, cheerleaders, and spectators from all over the world. For example, if you want to enjoy Japanese cuisine, you can easily access the nearest specialty restaurants on the "One Stop Platform." Additionally, you can browse through tourist attractions.
Fourth, it offers multi-language services. Many spectators may not understand Chinese, so we have included six languages: Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Arabic. It has a great translation function. Even if you don't understand Chinese, you can travel smoothly to all places during the Asian Games.
In addition to these four major functions, we have utilized this platform to introduce the digital torchbearer and digital torch, which are also firsts in history. We have torchbearers, but for the Asian Games, we introduced the digital torchbearer. We have a torch, but it is digital. Any of our 50 million registered users worldwide can participate in this online activity on the "One Stop Platform." That is to say, you can become a digital torchbearer for the Asian Games. Next, there will be a torch relay. You can engage in the online torch relay, which is a great feature. We hope that through the "One Stop Platform for Smart Asian Games," a digital service platform for watching the Games, we can provide a more comfortable and convenient spectator experience for people who come to Zhejiang and Hangzhou to watch the Games.
Thank you!