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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Zhang Jiandong, executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG) and vice mayor of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality

Li Yingchuan, vice minister of the General Administration of Sport

Wang Meimei, vice president of the Executive Board of the China Disabled Persons' Federation

Cui Shuqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Beijing Municipal Committee and executive vice mayor of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality

Yan Pengcheng, vice governor of the People's Government of Hebei Province

Chairperson:

Shou Xiaoli, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and SCIO spokesperson

Date:

Oct. 27, 2021

Shou Xiaoli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Tuesday marked the beginning of the 100-day countdown to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Today, we are delighted to be joined by Mr. Zhang Jiandong, executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG) and vice mayor of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality; Mr. Li Yingchuan, vice minister of the General Administration of Sport; Ms. Wang Meimei, vice president of the Executive Board of the China Disabled Persons' Federation; Mr. Cui Shuqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Beijing Municipal Committee and executive vice mayor of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality; and Mr. Yan Pengcheng, vice governor of the People's Government of Hebei Province. They will brief you on China's overall progress in preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and then take your questions. First, I'll give the floor to Mr. Zhang Jiandong.

Zhang Jiandong:

Friends from the media, good morning.

As we celebrated the 100-day countdown to Beijing 2022 on Tuesday, it's my pleasure to meet with you here and brief you on China's overall progress in preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. First, on behalf of the BOCOG, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to friends from the media for their constant interest, support and help regarding Beijing 2022.

The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 is a landmark event at a critical historic juncture in China. It is also the world's biggest comprehensive winter sports extravaganza. The Central Committee of the CPC has attached great importance to its preparation works. General Secretary Xi Jinping has held many special conferences to conduct research and make arrangements, inspected competition zones and issued key directives, all of which provide a fundamental basis for our organizing work. Under the direct instructions by the leading group overseeing Beijing 2022 preparations, the BOCOG has been fully implementing the concept of hosting the Games in a "green, sharing, open and clean" manner ever since the organizing work began. The BOCOG has also been working closely with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and coordinating epidemic prevention and control with the preparation works for the Games. At present, all preparation works have been put in place.

First, the competition venues and infrastructure facilities have met the requirements of the Games. All 12 competition venues have been completed, are ready to host the Games and have been certified by the relevant international winter sports organizations. While being qualified to host the Games, newly-built venues such as the National Speed Skating Oval ("Ice Ribbon"), the National Snowmobile and Sled Center ("Snow Dragon") and the National Ski Jumping Center ("Snow Ruyi") have fully incorporated Chinese cultural elements and become eye-catching landmark buildings. Non-competition venues such as the three Winter Olympic Villages and the Main Media Center have started operation. Meanwhile, the high-speed railway line linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the Beijing-Chongli Expressway and other infrastructure facilities have been put into use. Barrier-free facilities and environments have been further improved. All of these have fully met the requirements of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Second, all competition venues are running up to the operation standard of Games-time. Venues are the basic factors and the most important main bodies of the competition's operation. In 2020, a venue management team was established based on personnel from the BOCOG, local governments and venue operators. The team is in charge of each venue's competition organizing work, pandemic prevention and control, maintenance of facilities and other supporting services. This February and April, we successfully held winter sports test events for domestic athletes and carried out inspections of various work concerning the venues' operation. To further improve competition venues' Games-time operation and supporting capacities, we plan to hold 10 international test events and three international training week sessions from October to December. This will be an all-element test up to the standards of the Winter Games. It is estimated that some 2,000 overseas athletes and officials will participate in the test events, which will be held under a closed-loop management system. So far, five of these test events have already concluded — the Speed Skating China Open, Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy, ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup, and snowmobile and steel frame snowmobile time trials. The World Wheelchair Curling Championship 2021 is currently underway. Based on the competitions which have concluded, international sports organizations and participating athletes have spoken highly of the venues and the preparation work. We will continue to take a problem-oriented approach, summarize experiences at each competition, and earnestly improve our preparation work, so as to lay a sound foundation for the Games-time operation of the venues.

Third, efforts have been made to comprehensively carry out supporting services for the Games. Three competition zones are following the same standards regarding all sorts of preparation work. The BOCOG has signed contracts with nearly 100 hotels, formulated allocation plans for accommodations, and is currently working on hotel reservations. The BOCOG has finished selecting suppliers of food raw materials for the Games as well as catering service providers, and has drawn up menus which meet the different needs of all sorts of customers. The organizing committee has appointed 41 designated healthcare institutions and set up medical teams inside venues. It has also established a traffic command center during the Games to specify vehicle types and carry out traffic arrangements. A preliminary list of volunteers for the Games has been confirmed, and relevant training sessions are underway. The BOCOG has formulated and implemented an action plan on the sci-tech development of the Winter Games, proactively promoting the use of hydrogen fuel, 5G communication, cloud broadcasting, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Many of these technologies are related to media and news reporting. For example, passenger coaches of the high-speed railway linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou have realized full coverage of the 5G network, and we will experience the convenience and efficiency brought about by these sci-tech innovation results during the Games.

Fourth, the BOCOG has been working to properly address the risks brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic is the biggest challenge facing Beijing 2022. To better prevent and control the pandemic, the BOCOG has established an international working group for pandemic prevention and control with the IOC and the World Health Organization (WHO). The BOCOG has also worked with the National Health Commission, Beijing Municipality and Hebei province to set up a special working group and expert team for domestic pandemic prevention and control. We remain committed to prioritizing the health and safety of all participants. By giving full play to international and domestic anti-pandemic systems, the BOCOG has formulated the general guiding principle of anti-pandemic efforts for the Winter Games, a general working plan, as well as a series of venue-specific pandemic countermeasures. A set of key anti-pandemic policies was released on Sept. 30. The BOCOG, the IOC and the IPC jointly published the first playbook for COVID-19 countermeasures for Beijing 2022 on Oct. 25. The playbook outlines six fundamental principles of simplified organizing efforts, remote prevention and control, vaccination, close-loop management, efficient handling, and the integration of prevention and control. The playbook also puts forward specific anti-pandemic measures. In the following days, we will hold conferences with various stakeholders and comprehensively explain specific anti-pandemic policies. There will also be press briefings for the media, which we welcome you to join.

Fifth, publicity campaigns and cultural activities are on the rise. The Winter Games are not only a sports extravaganza, but also a festival of culture. Since the organizing work began, the BOCOG has released the vision of Beijing 2022, its emblems, mascots, torch, sports pictograms, medals and relevant musical works. A documentary channel has been launched by Beijing Television, and a group of Winter Games cultural squares have been selected across the country. The BOCOG has held themed events such as the 1,000-day countdown, the one-year countdown and the 100-day countdown to Beijing 2022. The Beijing 2022 Olympic flame has been ignited and handed over to the BOCOG. A welcome ceremony was held at the Beijing Olympic Tower to release the torch relay plans and exhibit the Olympic flame. All of these cultural activities have added Chinese elements to the diversity of the Olympics. With the media coverage at home and abroad, a strong Winter Games atmosphere has been fostered. In the meantime, preparations for the opening ceremony of the Games are proceeding in an orderly manner.

Sixth, the BOCOG has made remarkable progress concerning sustainability and Olympic heritage. The BOCOG has been carrying out sustainability plans and carbon neutrality schemes, and has completed the ecological restoration of Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones. All competition venues have realized full coverage of the green electricity network. The National Speed Skating Oval and another three venues have adopted a new type of carbon dioxide refrigerant, and all facilities of Beijing 2022 have achieved carbon neutrality. The BOCOG has fully implemented the strategic plan on Olympic heritage. Every competition venue has put forward their plan for reuse after the Games conclude. The Beijing International Olympic Academy has been established based on the Capital University of Physical Education and Sports. A Winter Olympic Park has been built inside the Shougang Park, a steel mill-turned cultural and sports complex in western Beijing. The post-Games naming of the Yanqing Olympic Park and Zhangjiakou-Chongli Olympic Park has been approved. Taking the opportunities brought about by the organizing work of the Winter Games, we have promoted the construction of winter sports venues. By proactively bringing winter sports into campuses and neighborhoods, we are getting closer to achieving the goal of getting 300 million Chinese people involved with winter sports. We have fully utilized the Winter Games' role in helping promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, so as to enhance transport facility connectivity, boost industrial complementarity, carry out joint environmental governance, and promote the joint construction and sharing of public services. We have worked to establish a tourism belt featuring sports culture between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, and fostered the transformation and high-quality development of the Shougang industrial complex, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou.

In the meantime, given China's institutional advantages of pooling resources for major events, the BOCOG has established a set of integrated and coordinated working mechanisms with the relevant central government departments, Beijing Municipality and Hebei province. A command center has been established and was officially put into operation on Oct. 15 before the international test events of Beijing 2022 kicked off. Command and dispatch works are being conducted on a daily basis. The command system will continue operating until the Games time and detect and solve any problems, in a bid to ensure an efficient and orderly Winter Games.

Friends from the media, starting from today, there are 99 days left before the Winter Games start. The Winter Olympic Villages will officially open to all participants from around the world on Jan. 27, 2022. The torch relay will be held on Feb. 2, kicking off the Winter Olympics time. We firmly believe that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the great support of all Chinese people and the international society, the BOCOG will complete all its organizing tasks and deliver a simple, safe and splendid Winter Olympic Games to the world.

In conclusion, I'd like to welcome friends from the media to continue their interest and participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

Thank you, Mr. Zhang. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify your news outlet before asking questions.

Xinhua:

Preparations for Beijing 2022 have moved into their final stages. What's happening with the training of Chinese athletes? What's the general situation, and are there any problems involving their training and preparation for the event? How will these problems be resolved? Thank you.

Li Yingchuan:

Thank you for your concern over Chinese athletes' training for the Winter Olympics. Hosting Beijing 2022 has sharpened Chinese competitiveness in ice and snow sports. In preparation for the event, Chinese athletes continue to train hard using innovative training methods scientifically. Together with improved training conditions, this has helped enhance Chinese competitive strength in ice and snow events. At present, a total of 480 athletes of the 29 national teams are undergoing intensive training for the snow and ice events in a bid to score at the upcoming Beijing 2022. We have focused at shoring up the weaknesses in Chinese athletes, coaches, and professional training facilities and established teams and trained athletes for all the 109 events of Beijing 2022, aiming for full participation in all the events of the Games.

When Beijing won the bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in 2015, around one-third of the 109 events had not been widely practiced in China. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, China participated in roughly half of the total events. As the host of Beijing 2022, we want to qualify for all the events, which will be a historic breakthrough. However, the global outbreak of COVID-19 has hampered the Chinese national teams to go abroad for regular competitions and additional training, which resulting in losing of some important points in the lead up to the Winter Olympics. These points are the basic qualifying conditions required for participation in Beijing 2022. This is the most prominent problem we have encountered in preparing for Beijing 2022 competitions.

Meanwhile, as most of our teams have not participated in international competitions for a long time, they have had little opportunity to compete with their main rivals. This poses challenges in organizing targeted trainings for them, thus raising the bar for athletes in their on-the-spot performance and strain capacity. What have we done to counter these problems? We made full use of the domestic conditions for all the events to practice training. The updating of training facilities in particular, the advanced training venues, in Beijing Shougang Park, CRRC Beijing Erqi Vehicle Plant, and in places like Chengde, Chongde, and Laiyuan in Hebei province, guarantees beneficial training conditions for Chinese athletes. Despite the continuous spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have ensured that Chinese athletes for the ice and snow events get systematic and continuous training. In previous Winter Olympics, Chinese athletes traveled to some European and American countries for training. Now we can conduct science-based training in our well-equipped venues in Beijing and Hebei province without going abroad. We have also improved the level of "intelligent" training, enhancing the management of the whole training process by making full use of science-aided systems to precisely monitor the training, effectively helping sharpen the competitiveness of Chinese athletes. In the final 100 days before Beijing 2022, Chinese teams will make full use the high-tech training facilities to make their training more targeted and effective so as to bring out their best at the upcoming Olympics. Thank you.

Wang Meimei:

I'd like to add some more. The training requirements and practices of Chinese athletes in preparation for the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games are similar to what Mr. Li introduced just now. I will skip this part and introduce our measures in ensuring Chinese athletes' normal training for Beijing 2022 under the premise of normalized epidemic prevention and control.

The China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF) sees the athletes' training and preparations for Beijing 2022 as an important political task. We worked on epidemic control and athletes' training for the event simultaneously. We have all hoped Chinese athletes do well at the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics despite the COVID-19 outbreak. How to ensure their regular training and participation in the event against a backdrop of the pandemic is a major test for us. During the training for the 2022 Games, we have focused on implementing epidemic control measures. The CDPF issued a notice to guide provincial disabled persons' federations, training institutions, and sports teams to strictly implement the epidemic control requirements. We also called on disabled persons' federations in provinces and cities where the national teams are based to attach great importance to epidemic control of the national teams and step up efforts in inspection and services to coordinate the existing difficulties and problems. The national teams are under closed-loop management under the guidance of local disease control departments where these teams are based. We have customized epidemic control policy plans for each team member and clarified the division of responsibilities for the closed-loop management at training bases. Moreover, we have prepared sufficient materials for COVID-19 prevention, control, and disinfection, and improved the internal prevention and control responsibility system and management policies. Our staff have implemented all the measures and performed their respective functions. Chinese athletes have abided by the rules for self-protection from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, in compliance with epidemic prevention and control regulations of different competition divisions, we have participated in all the winter sports events of Experience Beijing, including test series in Paralympic alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, Paralympic ice hockey, and wheelchair curling events. We seized a rare window period from April to early June to hold alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, biathlon, curling, and ice hockey events at the 11th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 8th National Special Olympic Games. We also supervised the organizing committees of those events to formulate and implement stricter plans on the basis of local policies in the fight against COVID-19, and clarified the responsibilities of the local governments, relevant departments, organizations, and individuals so as to have the participating athletes, coaches, and staff of the events abide by the regulations and requirements for the fight against COVID-19 and ensure the successful holding of those events.

At the Tokyo Paralympics, the Chinese Olympic delegation attached great importance to ensuring the health and safety of disabled athletes. We have formulated plans for the fight against COVID-19 with a clear division of responsibilities and strict reporting of the whereabouts of Chinese athletes. We supervised each team to abide by the requirements of the organizing committee of the Tokyo Paralympics and the Chinese Olympic delegation and achieved the goal of zero infection. We will draw on our epidemic control experience in Tokyo to prepare for and participate in the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games. In particular, the practices for the fight against COVID-19 in the next three months will offer experience and reference for China's winter Paralympic delegation in their overseas visits for competitions.

As the training and preparations for the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics enter their final stages, we will continue the training and preparations in the context of regular epidemic prevention and control, strive to do well at Beijing 2022, and win honor for the country. We will make our due contribution to hosting a simple, safe, and wonderful winter Paralympics. Specifically, we will achieve this by:

First, we will adjust our plans as necessary. Under the leadership of the CDPF leading group for the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games, we will analyze the changes to the epidemic and further improve the work plan to ensure the training and participation in the event in an efficient and orderly manner.

Second, we will select top athletes for the event. We will beef up epidemic prevention and control along with athletes' training, and formulate sound training plans to ensure that Chinese athletes can complete their training to the final stage before the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games. We will hold international events in due time to offer more opportunities for athletes and sports teams to get international points.

Third, we will participate in international events. We will seek to compete in international events held in the next final months before the Games in a bid to increase the Chinese athletes' rankings and qualifying opportunities for more qualified participants.

Finally, we will strengthen the institutional guarantee. We will further improve supporting measures for athletes and enhance the supports and services for their teams and training bases. Thank you.

Asahi Shinbum:

The playbook for COVID-19 countermeasures for Beijing 2022 issued the day before yesterday stipulates that all Olympic participants arriving in China will be under closed-loop management. The Tokyo Olympics adopted the same practice but ended up having many violators. What measures will be adopted at the Beijing Winter Olympics to ensure compliance with the regulations in the fight against COVID-19? Thank you.

Zhang Jiandong:

Thank you for your question. We issued the playbook for COVID-19 countermeasures for Beijing 2022 the day before yesterday, drawing great attention from all sectors of society. Given that the global epidemic situation is still severe and complicated, in order to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of Olympic participating parties, stakeholders, and the Chinese people, we worked with the IOC and the IPC, drawing on China's successful experience in the fight against COVID-19, and that of major international competitions held in the past and at present, and decided to conduct strict closed-loop management for the people involved in the 2022 Winter Olympics. The closed-loop management policy is one of the most distinctive measures for the fight against COVID-19 at the Winter Olympics. It is the premise for the Games to be held free of COVID-19.

One of the important characteristics of closed-loop management is that people within the loop, including the stakeholders involved in the Winter Olympics, the Chinese staff and volunteers, are subject to similar closed-loop management policy. They should be in strict separation from the communities. Under the closed-loop management, there won't be tight restrictions on the free movement of athletes and other participants, because they will be provided with dedicated vehicles for them to move freely from their places of residence to the venues, from venues to venues, and between three competition divisions. Moreover, the Olympic villages and other stakeholders within the loop, such as the contracted hotels for the media, will also be provided with a good experience through access to specialty restaurants, licensed retailers, cafes, and gyms, as well as some recreational facilities.

We have adopted such measures in the recent test events, which are basically the same as those in the playbook for COVID-19 countermeasures for Beijing 2022. In the big loop, athletes will be able to have relatively free movement, but they must abide by our related regulations and take dedicated transport vehicles. They will be not allowed to go out of the loop and make contact with communities.

I'd like to stress that the measures in the playbook are made in accordance with the latest scientific achievements and opinions of experts and in reference to the experience of other international events. We believe that these measures can mitigate the risks and impact of the pandemic. We hope all the people involved in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics can cooperate with us to abide by and implement these regulations. As for punitive measures, we will strictly implement related regulations on punishment. We are discussing the details with the IOC to hold those who violate regulations in the manual accountable with possible severe punishments, including warnings, temporary or permanent cancelation of registrations, temporary or permanent disqualification from competitions, ejection from competitions, and disqualification. Thank you.

China News Service:

High-quality urban operations are essential to the safe and smooth hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympics as scheduled. Could you give some information regarding this? Thank you.

Cui Shuqiang:

Thank you for the question. Beijing is making all-out efforts to ensure the smooth running of the Games, a top priority for the city now and for some time to come. We have set up headquarters on city operations composed of an office, 14 working groups, and a command center for the opening and closing ceremonies. The secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee is the commander of the headquarters, and the mayor of Beijing is an executive commander. To coordinate work in the three competition zones, the headquarters also host the governor of Hebei province as another executive commander. Preparations are proceeding in an orderly manner.

While continuing efforts in epidemic prevention and control, we have formed 142 specialized teams to ensure the smooth operation of urban utilities around the competition venues and five teams responsible for the management of utilities around the three competition zones. These two kinds of teams will work together with teams for venue management to promptly deal with emergencies and better ensure the smooth operation of urban utilities. In particular, we have strengthened supervision concerning workplace safety and conducted safety inspection and checks for potential safety hazards in and around key areas. We have developed a specialized winter energy plan to ensure the supply of water, electricity, gas, and heating in the venues. We have improved the mechanisms for timely response to extreme weather and effective urban sanitation, snow shoveling, and garbage removal. The highway linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou's Chongli district has been put into operation. Now it takes only 50 minutes from Beijing's urban area to Yanqing district via the highway and one and a half hours from Yanqing to Chongli. Efforts are also being made to construct 274.4 kilometers of lanes exclusive for Beijing 2022. We have been improving transportation services on key roads, in transit hubs and stations, and around the venues. We have developed policies for the management of public transportation demands to ensure both the smooth running of the event and normal urban operations. We have also formulated emergency plans in response to different situations such as extreme weather, damage to transportation facilities, and crowded rail transit.

In terms of environment and landscapes, we have been improving the environment in key areas and linking-up roads, stepping up comprehensive environmental management, and building landscapes that integrate the elements of the Games, the Spring Festival, and folk customs. These measures aim to create a warm and convivial atmosphere for the Games. In addition, we have been implementing tasks in eco-environmental conservation for Beijing 2022.

In terms of meteorological service, we have established a joint consultation mechanism with China Meteorological Administration and other relevant departments. Together, we will pay close attention to certain types of weather, such as strong winds, cold waves, smog, and snow; release information about extreme weather in a timely manner; and provide an effective emergency response. We have been implementing measures to ensure good air quality in Beijing. As of Oct. 26, the city's PM2.5 density was 32 micrograms per cubic meter, the lowest over the same period in history.

The preparations for Beijing 2022 have entered a critical sprint period. Beijing will work together with Hebei to ensure the safe and smooth hosting of the Games as scheduled. Thank you.

CCTV:

I would like to ask about the overall progress of the ongoing "Experience Beijing" test events. In particular, how is the feedback from all parties? What's the goal of these test events? And what are the gaps between the current state and the Games-time standard? Thanks.

Zhang Jiandong:

Thanks for your attention. Before the Winter Olympics and Paralympics can officially start, a series of test events or test activities must take place. This is a requirement of the IOC and the IPC and is also standard practice for previous Games. The series of "Experience Beijing" test events started in October and will last until the end of December, including 10 international competitions, three training weeks and two domestic trials. With the coordinated efforts of all parties – especially the hard work of venue teams and the organizing committees of each competition zone – everything has followed a step-by-step process, and all events have gone smoothly as scheduled. Among these events, the Speed Skating China Open, the Asian Figure Skating Open, the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup and time trials in bobsled and skeleton were successfully concluded. The feedback from athletes, international technical officials and individual sports federations has been overwhelmingly positive in terms of venues and facilities, epidemic prevention and control measures, event organization, as well as operation support.

The Wheelchair Curling World Championship is now underway, and several other events will start soon, such as the Luge World Cup. Of course, the luge training week will be held first, followed by the World Cup. There will also be snowboarding and free-ski cross World Cup legs in Zhangjiakou Competition Zone, as well as Continental Cup events for ski jumping and Nordic combined. Preparations for the remaining events are well underway. These test events offer a final opportunity for a field test before the Olympic Winter Games. It is hugely important that everyone accumulates the necessary experience in Games-time epidemic prevention and operation so as to arrange for the smooth running of the Games as scheduled.

The test events are run by international individual sports organizations with special regulations, which results in different characteristics between the test events and the Olympic Winter Games. However, we have carried out comprehensive tests for the Games as scheduled to analyze every element of preparations, run the operating mechanisms and accumulate more experience.

The goals of the test events you just asked about mainly concern three aspects: first, anti-epidemic measures, fields and facilities; second, event organization and venue operation; third, event services and peripheral support, including the command and dispatch system. These are the priorities for the test events and the goals to be achieved. As such, we focus on the following tasks:

First, we conduct a thorough examination of anti-epidemic measures and ensure strict implementation of those measures. More than 2,000 overseas athletes, team officials, international technical officials and scoring professionals are participating in the test events. Therefore, we have implemented measures such as pre-departure prevention and control, vaccination, and nucleic acid testing for arrivals to China. In addition, a closed-loop management policy has been strictly enforced during these test events, using the same management method as the Olympic Winter Games. We will adhere to a system of "no overlapping of partitions, no crossing of streamlines, strict control of meetings, and no cross-boundary of personnel." These four phrases indicate that the closed-loop management within venues, especially in the design of streamlines, aims to mitigate interactions between people. We are dealing with these details to examine anti-epidemic measures.

Second, we work hard to organize the events and improve operational support capabilities. As I mentioned earlier, one of the main goals of the test events is to check whether the facilities and venue equipment can meet Games-time operation standards, including whether the quality of the ice surface and snow track can meet the requirements of individual sports organizations. The functionality of timing and scoring systems, TV broadcasts, sports shows, award presentations, interviews and doping tests are likewise interconnected. So the operation support for venues and facilities is another important aspect of our examination. Through such tests, we can discover as many existing problems and weak links as possible.

Third, we provide elaborate services to improve the participant experience. We have taken competitions and operations into consideration when providing athletes and various stakeholders with a better experience, especially under closed-loop management during the test events. In this regard, we have made arrangements to take care of participants and service staff, striving to provide comfortable, convenient and safe services, so as to ensure that problems and needs are heard, the progress of coordination and handling is followed up, and the resolution of problems are checked. Cai Qi, secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee has described this as the Olympic Winter Games version of "dealing with a complaint when receiving it," or handling complaints in a timely manner. The test events have employed that method, and staff at all venues have heeded the views of all participants to make further improvements.

In short, we have identified some problems that need to be further optimized and improved through the first few test events. We also conduct reviews and assessments every day to discover problems and solve them one-by-one, and continuously enhance our capacity to organize the Games. Please pay more attention and offer help. Thanks.

China Daily:

My question goes to Mr. Yan from Hebei province. We all know that Zhangjiakou city in Hebei province, as a competition zone of the Olympic Winter Games, will host most of the snow competitions, and has both reconstructed and built new venue complexes such as the Genting and the Guyangshu clusters. As the international test events are just around the corner, we would like to learn about how the preparations are going for these venues? And what are the plans and arrangements for post-Games use of the newly-built venues? Thanks.

Yan Pengcheng:

Thanks for the media attention to the preparations of Zhangjiakou Competition Zone. Beijing and Zhangjiakou will co-host the 24th Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, which represents the trust in, and care for, Hebei province of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, bringing rare and significant development opportunities. The Hebei provincial Party committee and government will firmly implement the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on the Winter Olympics and will regard the smooth hosting of the Olympic Winter Games as a major political task, deploying various key tasks for event organization and bolstering it with efforts from the whole province.

As the journalist mentioned, Zhangjiakou, being one of the three competition zones for the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, will hold a majority of the snow events. In Zhangjiakou, athletes will compete for 51 gold medals of the Olympics Winter Games and 46 gold medals of the Paralympic Winter Games. We have built four competition venues and five non-competition venues in Zhangjiakou. The four competition venues are the National Ski Jumping Center, the National Cross-Country Skiing Center, the National Biathlon Center, and the Genting Snow Park. The five non-competition venues are the Winter Olympic Village, the Main Press Center, the International Broadcasting Center, the Awards Plaza, and the Uniform and Registration Sub-Center. The construction of venues with high standards and high quality constitutes a top priority in the preparation of the Winter Games. Here, I'd like to share with you some information from the following three aspects.

First, the venues in Zhangjiakou boast attractive highlights. All the venues here are concentrated in the core region of Taizicheng area in Chongli district. While building the venues, we earnestly followed the three concepts of athlete-orientation, sustainable development, and frugality in running the Games, adhered to the overall plan and international standards, organized top teams at home and abroad, and formulated a series of scientific plans for the construction of venues and support facilities. By doing this, we strive to develop high-quality, eco-friendly, and corruption-free projects with cultural appeal. We planned and designed the construction of major venues as a whole. For example, we built a three-kilometer-long circular path connecting the National Ski Jumping Center, the National Cross-Country Skiing Center, and the National Biathlon Center. The image of the circular path being covered with snow in winter has given it the nickname "Ice Jade Ring." The National Ski Jumping Center, nicknamed "Snow Ruyi," not only has the longest ski jumping track in the world but also perfectly resembles the shape of a "Ruyi," a traditional Chinese ornament symbolizing good luck. In this way, the center can showcase Chinese culture and tell Chinese stories to the world with its magnificent and elegant curves.

Second, the major venues have been awarded international certification. By the end of last year, Zhangjiakou competition zone had fulfilled all the construction tasks for 76 events. In August this year, the Winter Olympic Village became ready to receive dwellers. Not long ago, experts of sports unions and federations for winter events conducted the final inspection and awarded certifications to the competition venues and training tracks in Zhangjiakou competition zone. They gave full recognition to the quality of the venues and believed that all the venues had met the competition requirements. In particular, "Snow Ruyi," "Ice Jade Ring," and other landmark structures were spoken of highly by the International Olympic Committee and winter sports unions and federations, who held the opinion that the National Ski Jumping Center is currently a unique ski jumping venue with the most creative design in the world and is one of the world's most spectacular venues. They also believed that the Genting Snow Park is one of the world's best venues for snowboarding and freestyle skiing.

Third, we have considered and made arrangements for the post-Games use of the venues, an issue which has always been a focus of attention among all parties. In order to give full play to the post-Games functions of the Zhangjiakou venues, we have studied and developed special schemes. The overall consideration is to fully leverage the traffic and location advantages of the Taizicheng area where the venues are situated; take advantage of favorable conditions, including good climate; and actively promote the market-centered operation of the venues. By hosting various kinds of major sports events, carrying out extensive mass snow and ice cultural and sports activities, we aim to build Zhangjiakou competition zone into an integrated snow and ice entertainment center and summer resort that can operate 24/7 all year round.

For instance, after the Games, the Genting Snow Park will be developed into a mountain resort combining services in sports, conferences, leisure, and holiday activities, with a focus on snow and ice sports as well as mountain resort services. The National Ski Jumping Center will be transformed into a characteristic business tourism area, integrating high-end meetings and leisure experiences. The National Cross-Country Ski Center will be turned into a mountain park, where snow and ice cultural and sports activities are organized in both winter and summer. The National Biathlon Center will be built into a ski training and winter sports experience base suitable for young people, while serving as a site for specific national sports training and events holding.

We welcome friends from the media to visit the Zhangjiakou competition zone more for reporting and sightseeing. Thank you.

Beijing Youth Daily:

My question is about the Paralympic Winter Games. China participated in the Paralympic Winter Games for the first time in 2002. Nowadays, the number of Paralympic Winter Games athletes in China has increased from less than 50 to more than 1,000, and we have won many international championships on many events. How can the Paralympic Winter Games promote the participation of people with disabilities in snow and ice sports in China?How to mobilize more people with disabilities to answer the call of "engaging 300 million Chinese people with sport on snow and ice?" Thank you. 

Wang Meimei:

Thank you for your attention to the development of snow and ice sports for persons with disabilities. This is a very good question and I'll be happy to answer it. Well, with the popularity and development of the Paralympic Winter Games events in China, snow and ice sports for people with disabilities have made great progress since Beijing won the bid for Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. After winning the bid, China held snow and ice sports season activities for people with disabilities for five consecutive years, beginning 2016. The number of places for organizing such activities increased from 14 to 31, constantly expanding the coverage regarding both places and participants. Advanced by diverse parties and drawing much social attention, such activities have enjoyed a higher level, more scientific structure, and richer content with innovative and interesting events. With the popularization of winter sports for persons with disabilities, overall, the ice and snow sports for this group of people are developing very fast. Every year, more than 300,000 people with disabilities participate in snow and ice sports season activities, contributing to the vision proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping of "engaging 300 million Chinese people with sport on snow and ice."

During the snow and ice season activities, we undertook leading national activities in Beijing and Hebei province, taking Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia as the main sites to conduct activities. We have also expanded to eastern and southern China, including provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong to host events. At the same time, we also mobilized Shaanxi province, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and other western regions to participate. We relied on the five special associations (the China Association for Sight-Impaired Persons; China Association for Hearing-Impaired Persons; China Association for Persons with Physical Disabilities; China Association for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Relatives; China Association for Mentally Disabled Persons and Their Relatives) of China Disabled Persons Federation to actively carry out the snow and ice sports activities for the people with disabilities.

With joint participation and promotion, many activities featuring snow and ice were held according to local conditions. For example, we carried out experience activities for the Paralympic Winter Games and conducted mass snow and ice competitions, including those on synthetic ice and snow. We also organized snow and ice carnivals and summer camps. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have carried out many online winter sports rehabilitation and fitness programs to guide people with disabilities and engage them with diversified activities. Meanwhile, we created and promoted many activities popular among persons with disabilities, such as mini-skiing, floor curling, and floor hockey. In order to further popularize and develop snow and ice sports for people with disabilities, we have compiled some guidance manuals on winter fitness programs for disabled persons and made relevant videos, and then distributed them to the communities and grassroots units. In this way, we can drive and promote more disabled people to participate in the whole winter sports activities and enjoy the joy brought by snow and ice.

The Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games are approaching, and we will hold the sixth snow and ice event for people with disabilities, which is expected to further promote the participation of disabled persons in the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and create a favorable atmosphere for making the two games a big success. Thank you.

Southern Metropolis Daily：

How is the construction of venues going for the Beijing Winter Olympics and the supporting facilities coming along? Thank you.

Cui Shuqiang:

Thanks for your attention. According to the requirements of the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee, a total of 39 venues are to be used for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, of which the 30 in the Beijing and Yanqing competition zones are coordinated and constructed by the Beijing Municipal Government. So far, 28 of the 30 projects, including competition venues and the Winter Olympic Village, have been completed and undergone test events. The remaining two projects, the National Stadium and the Awards Plaza, are currently being renovated or constructed. In addition, the construction of the 33 temporary facilities for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are proceeding as planned and will be completed by the end of December this year.

When Beijing bid for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, it committed to providing a barrier-free environment, signifying an important part of the preparations for the Winter Olympics. Through our continuous efforts, we have significantly improved the normative, applicable and systematic level of the barrier-free environment in Beijing. The core areas of the city and the competition service areas for the Games have all become barrier-free. Citywide, we have improved 289,000 barrier-free facilities and built 100 barrier-free demonstration blocks, 100 "15-minute convenient life circles" and more than 900 barrier-free demonstration projects. During the test events, we received feedbacks from people who tried out the barrier-free facilities and will continue to make improvements accordingly. However, the feedbacks have generally been satisfactory. Our goal is to build the venues well and ensure the success of both the Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Thank you.

The Straits Times:

I have two questions. First, given how stringent your COVID-19 management of the Games is going to be, how much resources will be deployed? Will you pool resources from elsewhere of the country? Is this going to cause gaps in your COVID-19 management in other parts of the country? How will you ensure the Games are not disrupted by positive cases? My second question is about the open and closing ceremonies. Who and how many people will get to attend? And how will they be managed?

Zhang Jiandong:

Thank you. Your question is extensive. I will answer it in two parts. In terms of anti-COVID-19 measures, indeed, epidemic prevention and control is the biggest challenge for us. We should say that without a guarantee of safety, there would be no success in the Olympic Games. We have always put epidemic prevention and control at the top of our priorities.

During the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, we will adopt a series of comprehensive measures to minimize the risk of imported cases and ensure the health of all participants of the Games and the health of the people of the host cities. Our goal is to ensure the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics run safely and smoothly as scheduled. After consulting with the IOC and the IPC and extensively soliciting opinions of all stakeholders, we have formulated and released the first edition of a playbook for COVID-19 countermeasures. The primary purpose of the playbook is to ensure the safety and health of all athletes, participants and the Chinese public.

The playbook mainly focuses on the following aspects: First, we will strengthen remote monitoring measures to effectively reduce the risk of imported cases, including self-health monitoring for at least 14 days prior to departure for China and conducting COVID-19 nucleic acid tests as required. Second, we will implement strict vaccination policies. Third, we will implement strict closed-loop management upon arrival in China. Fourth, we will implement regular prevention and control measures throughout the Games. We have incorporated epidemic prevention and control for the Games into the local government's anti- epidemic system, which is an important feature. Cai Qi, secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, is also president of the BOCOG. He directs the anti-epidemic work of both Beijing and the Games. The epidemic prevention and control of venues and activities related to the Games have been integrated into the unified anti-epidemic management of the city for unified deployment of resources. All this will help provide a strong guarantee of safety for the Game and host city. Please be rest assured about that.

Next, I will brief you on the opening and closing ceremonies. The opening and closing ceremonies of the Games attract much attention at home and abroad. Adhering to the guiding principles of "simplicity, safety and excellence," we are preparing for the opening ceremony. The Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee has established an opening and closing ceremonies department, as well as a cast team consisting of members of different ages. Through hard work and cooperation with the IOC and the IPC, a creative plan has been approved. Production and rehearsals are being carried out in an orderly manner. As we know, the opening ceremony will be held at the National Stadium, or Bird's Nest. So, we set up an operation team at the Bird's Nest to organize and coordinate the opening and closing ceremonies. We will share specific information about the opening ceremony with friends from the media at a later time. I hope you will stay tuned. Thank you.

Cover News:

During preparations for the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, General Secretary Xi Jinping has given important instructions on hosting a "Green Olympics." He stressed that we should prioritize ecological conservation, conserve resources and stick to an environment-friendly approach to make "beautiful China" a defining feature for the Games. What are the specific measures that Zhangjiakou city has taken to ensure a "Green Olympics". Thank you.

Yan Pengcheng:

Thank you for your interest in the implementation of "green Olympics" in the Zhangjiakou Competition Zone. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed the commitment to hosting a green, sharing, open, and clean Olympics. We have always kept General Secretary Xi Jinping's remarks firmly in mind. Under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council, and the unified command of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, we are carrying out all of the preparation work in a meticulous manner. As the Capital Water Source Conservation Functional Zone and the Ecological Environmental Supporting Zone, we are attaching more importance to the implementation of "green Olympics" in Zhangjiakou. Over the past few years, we have resolutely implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and demonstrated the concept of "green Olympics" through the whole process and all aspects of the preparation for the Winter Olympics. In doing so, we have focused on the following five aspects:

First, green venues. All construction work has been carried out to a high standard and high quality. We have protected the structures and landscapes of the mountains to the greatest extent, decreased the negative impact on the environment and reduced resource waste. We have arranged and built low-energy venues and "sponge competition zones." Four competition venues have been recognized as three-star green snow sports venues. The Zhangjiakou Olympic Village has also been recognized as a three-star green building.

Second, green ecology. The city of Zhangjiakou has continued to carry out campaigns to keep skies blue, waters clear, city green, and lands pollution-free. Since the successful bid for the Games, the city has added 13.68 million mu of afforestation. The current average density of PM2.5 particles stands at 29 micrograms per cubic meter, while that of Chongli district 16 micrograms per cubic meter. The Bashang region has taken the lead in striking a balance between underground water exploitation and replenishment. The safe utilization rate of contaminated soil has reached 100%.

Third, green industries. We have vigorously promoted the development of such industries as ice and snow gear manufacturing, ice and snow tourism, big data, high-tech equipment manufacturing, and modern services. The proportion of high energy-consumption industries in industrial enterprises above designated size dropped by 7.2 percentage points compared to 2015, the initial year of the preparation work. The proportion of the added value of high-tech industries in industrial enterprises above designated size has increased by 20 percentage points over five years. In particular, the Ice and Snow Sports Equipment Industrial Park has been honored as a national demonstration base for new industrial industries. The "cold resources" have gradually helped heat up the economy.

Fourth, green energy. We have actively promoted the development of wind power generation and photovoltaic power generation. The Zhangbei renewable energy flexible DC grid test and demonstration project officially entered into operation, and can deliver 14.1 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity to the Beijing area every year and ensure a 100% clean energy power supply for the Zhangjiakou Competition Zone during the Winter Olympics.

Fifth, green transport. Zhangjiakou has strived to become a national transit metropolis and preferentially developed demonstration city for public transportation. The city has added over 800 clean energy buses, upgraded a total of 48 bus routes, and added 68 bus routes. Bus stops at intervals of 500 meters have covered more than 90% of the downtown area.

We firmly believe that with the implementation of the "green Olympics" concept, the development of the construction of the Capital Water Source Conservation Functional Zone and the Ecological Environmental Supporting Zone, and the further improvement of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou eco-environment joint prevention and control mechanism, the ecological environment of Zhangjiakou and even the entire Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will continue improving and become better and better. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

Now for the last question.

Wenweipo:

In its bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, China pledged to get 300 million people involved in winter sports. How has the popularization of winter sports in China progressed? Thank you.

Li Yingchuan:

Thank you for your question. Getting 300 million people involved in winter sports is a promise made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on behalf of the Chinese government. It has always been of great concern. As a country with a vast territory and diverse natural conditions, winter sports have been carried out mainly in the areas with abundant snow and ice resources, such as northeastern, northern, and northwestern China. After the successful bid for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, all parts of the country have carried out a set of public winter sports in line with local conditions under the goal of getting 300 million people involved in winter sports set by General Secretary Xi Jinping. The northern parts of China have a long tradition of winter sports and abundant snow resources, while southern China has a lack of snow and ice. However, with the development in the economy, society, and science and technologies, the increasingly mature ice-making technology has allowed winter sports to go nationwide. For example, with the booming development of indoor ice sports in some southern cities. Noticeably, ecological snow-making technologies have prompted the construction of outdoor ski resorts in southern cities and regions with favorable conditions. For example, there are numerous indoor ice rinks in Hainan province. Additionally, many places have adopted new technologies, new materials and new skills, represented by VR, AR, dry ski slopes, liquid synthetic ice, inflatable domes, detachable devices and so on. It's fair to say that more and more citizens have stepped onto ice rinks and entered ski resorts, and are fully enjoying the health benefits and joy brought by winter sports.

Winter sports have become leisurely and fashionable sports among the public, especially young people. They have also become a lifestyle for Chinese families. Therefore, those involved in winter sports are spread all over the country. Despite the vigorous development, our industrial foundation is still vulnerable compared to countries traditionally associated with winter sports. However, as the world's second largest economy, China has made noticeable achievements in its technological strength and innovative capacity. Therefore, China's comprehensive strength is fully capable of supporting the leapfrog development of winter sports. Concentrating on the goal of getting 300 million people involved in winter sports, from the central government to local governments, the country has formed a pattern featuring joint participation among multiple departments and synergetic development among the whole of society. We believe that under the joint efforts of people from all walks of life, we are fully capable of achieving the goal of getting 300 million people involved in winter sports, delivering the development fruits of winter sports to the public, and making active contributions to the development of international Olympic sports. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

The SCIO will hold a series of press conferences on the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. We welcome all friends from the media to participate in them. That is all for today's press conference. Thank you to the spokespersons and friends from the media. Goodbye.

Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Wang Qian, Zhu Bochen, Ma Yujia, Duan Yaying, Li Huiru, Zhang Junmian, Zheng Chengqiong, Huang Shan, He Shan, Qin Qi, Xu Xiaoxuan, Yuan Fang, Dong Qingpei, David Ball, Drew Pittock, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.