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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Li Sen, director general of the General Planning Department of the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG)

Yan Jiarong, spokesperson of the BOCOG

Liu Yumin, director general of the Planning and Construction Department of the BOCOG

Yu Bo, chief of Yanqing District of Beijing Municipality

Liu Haifeng, deputy mayor of the Zhangjiakou Municipal People's Government, Hebei province, and deputy director of the Zhangjiakou Municipal Office for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Chairperson:

Chen Wenjun, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

Jan. 13, 2022

Chen Wenjun:

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to today's press conference. The Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are in place and will kick off in three weeks. Everyone is very concerned about how the green Olympics initiative has been implemented throughout the preparation process and what a green Olympics will look like. Today, we have invited relevant officials to attend the press conference to introduce the situation and take your questions. They are Mr. Li Sen, director general of the General Planning Department of the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG); Ms. Yan Jiarong, spokesperson of the BOCOG; Mr. Liu Yumin, director general of the Planning and Construction Department of the BOCOG; Mr. Yu Bo, chief of Yanqing District of Beijing Municipality; and Mr. Liu Haifeng, deputy mayor of the Zhangjiakou Municipal People's Government, Hebei province, and deputy director of the Zhangjiakou Municipal Office for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Next, I would like to ask Mr. Li Sen to introduce the topic.

Li Sen:

Good morning, friends from the media. It is my great pleasure to introduce to you how China is delivering on its application promise of hosting a green Olympics. Here, I would also like to express my gratitude to our media friends for their attention and support to the preparations and sustainability of the Beijing Winter Olympics!

Now, everything is in place for the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics. The venues and infrastructure have all met the requirements for hosting the competition, the venue-based operational model has been fully implemented, the service guarantees for the competition have been in place, and efforts of publicity have been boosted. In particular, a series of international test competitions have been successfully held, proving that the preparations are adequate. On Jan. 4, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited the Beijing competition zone to inspect the preparations, cordially encouraged the front-line personnel working at the venues, and gave important instructions for the preparation of the Olympics. His visit boosted our morale. As a result, we have strengthened our confidence and determination to hold the competition on schedule, safely, and successfully. We will go all out in the final stage according to the requirements of the general secretary to ensure a simple, safe and splendid 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Sustainable development is China's national strategy and one of the three pillars of the Olympic Agenda 2020. Since preparing for the 2022 Winter Games, the BOCOG has stayed committed to hosting the Games in a green, sharing, open and clean manner. The BOCOG, the Beijing Municipal Government, the Hebei Provincial Government, and related parties have jointly formulated the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Sustainability Plan and proposed the vision of sustainability for the future and established the objective of creating a new example for staging events and regional sustainability. A working framework, including 12 actions, 37 tasks, and 119 specific measures, is constructed from three aspects: positive environmental impact, a new development for the region, and a better life for the people.

Over the past six years in preparing for the Games, we have worked hard to implement the green Olympics initiative in the whole process of preparations. We have closely integrated the preparations of the Games with the development of cities and regions, promoting the improvement of the regional ecological environment, economic development, and social progress and producing results of sustainability. I can summarize our work into the following five aspects:

First, we have established a sustainable management system. The preparation of the Winter Olympics is a complex project that requires standardized and systematic management. For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, we have integrated three international standards. These are the sustainability management system for large-scale events, environmental management system, and social responsibility guidelines. In addition, we have established BOCOG's sustainable management system. As a result, we have effectively managed sustainable work in major venues and more than 50 work areas.

Second, we have created ecological competition zones. Given that the snow events will be mainly held in mountainous areas, measures have been taken to reduce the impact on the environment since we designed the venues. Before planning and designing, baseline surveys on the types and distribution of plants and environmental impact assessments were conducted. Protection measures were determined in terms of avoidance, mitigation, restoration, and compensation. The in-situ, near-situ, and ex-situ conservation measures have been taken for plants in the competition zones. We have employed multiple measures to reduce the impact on the animals in the competition zones, including setting up wildlife corridors, laying out artificial bird nests, and standardizing construction behaviors. At the same time, we have carried out ecological restoration. We have employed multiple ways to collect, store and recycle rainwater and snowmelt water to use water resources efficiently. The green mountains and clear waters of the competition zones have been protected through various measures. The goal of building venues surrounded by mountains and forests and hosting an ecological Winter Olympics has been realized.

Third, we have strictly implemented low-carbon management. We have made full use of the Beijing Olympic venues to reduce carbon emissions from the source. At the same time, we have built low-carbon stadiums, all of which have met the green building standards. Four ice stadiums have used new carbon dioxide refrigerants, making an ultra-low-energy project of more than 50,000 square meters. Low-carbon energy is fully utilized, and all the venues will be wholly powered by green energy. More than 80% of the vehicles during the Games will be energy-saving and clean energy vehicles to build a low-carbon transportation system. In addition, we have explored ways for carbon offsetting. The governments of Beijing and Hebei province contributed significant amounts of carbon sinks in the forestry industry. PetroChina, State Grid, and China Three Gorges Corporation sponsored carbon-neutral products for the Beijing Winter Olympics. With these efforts, we will make the Games carbon neutral.

Fourth, we have promoted urban and regional development. The six-year preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics have witnessed Beijing and Zhangjiakou's rapid development. The preparations for the Winter Olympics have contributed to the development of the two places. The Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway and Beijing-Chongli Expressway were completed and went into services, the road network system was improved, and the transportation facilities were connected; the two places have coordinated in desertification control, water management, and gas management, and the regional environment has been significantly improved, realizing joint prevention and control of the regional environment; the construction of public facilities has been accelerated, and public services have been improved as a whole, realizing the joint development and sharing of public services. Several influential enterprises have settled in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, and the development industries such as ice and snow and green energy have been accelerated and mutually reinforced. The Shougang Park in Beijing will become a "new landmark of urban revival," Yanqing will turn into a "most beautiful Winter Olympic City," and Zhangjiakou will be an "Asian ice and snow vacation destination." These three regions have become models of high-quality urban development promoted by the Winter Olympics.

Fifth, all preparations for the Games are aimed at benefiting the people. Raising people's living standards is an important part of sustainable development and also a natural result of the Winter Olympics. Over the past six years, seizing the development opportunities brought by the Games, Beijing and Zhangjiakou have accelerated the development of their infrastructure and facilities while fully improving public services. Industries related to winter sports have created more jobs for residents, made their lives easier and provided more development opportunities, thus improving people's sense of happiness and fulfillment. The promotion of winter sports has encouraged people to engage in sports and embrace a healthy lifestyle. Accessibility has been improved and a more inclusive society is quickly taking shape, helping people with disabilities to better integrate into society. Volunteer services are increasingly popular, which in turn contributes to a more civilized society.

Today, we would like to use this platform to release the Beijing 2022 Pre-Games Sustainability Report. The report summarizes our progress made on sustainability in preparation for the Games. The full text of the report is now available to download from the official website of Beijing's organizing committee. We hope you will check it out. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) attached great importance and spoke highly of the report on sustainable development. President Thomas Bach and President Andrew Parsons have both sent congratulatory videos for the report.

That is the introduction. Thank you. 

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Li. Please watch the video by President Thomas Bach and President Andrew Parsons.

China.org.cn:

(Video playing)

Chen Wenjun:

We would like to thank President Thomas Bach and President Andrew Parsons for their heartwarming messages. Now the floor is open to questions. Please indicate the media organization you work for before raising a question. 

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Asahi Shimbun:

After China won the bid to hold the Games, the number of people engaged in skiing began to rise, as did the number of ski resorts. To ensure the effective use of ski resorts, it is necessary to maintain the number of skiers. So after the Winter Paralympics, how will China continue to promote skiing? Thank you. 

Li Sen:

Thank you for your question. Promoting winter sports in China was one of the major goals for bidding and hosting the Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics. Using the Games as a point of departure, China's winter sports have been growing rapidly in recent years. I'm not sure whether you have seen the latest statistics released by the General Administration of Sport of China, which show that 346 million people now participate in winter sports. By the end of 2020, China had built 654 standard ice rinks and 803 ski resorts of various kinds, both indoors and outdoors. The goal of "getting 300 million people involved in winter sports" has become a reality. Promoting winter sports is a long-term activity, not a short-term one. China has a huge population. Based on the population and development needs, the number of venues for winter sports is not that large. After the Games, such efforts will be strengthened and not be stopped. There will be ever greater achievements. Our most significant efforts are as follows:

First, policy guarantee. After we won the bid to host the Games, and since we started preparations for the Games, the policy environment for developing winter sports at the national and local level has been improving. There are a series of policies and measures. You may know that, at the national level, we released documents like the "Opinions on Vigorously Developing Winter Sports" and the "Opinions on Carrying out Healthy China Initiative," in which we outlined specific policies. At the local level, there are also some specific policies that a total of 26 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have now implemented. Take Beijing for example. The city released guidelines on promoting winter sports and seven supporting documents in terms of venue construction and popularization. Such policies will not come to an end after the Games. They are long-term policies and will be sustained well into the future. 

Second, cultivating young people. Young people are always the foundation and future of winter sports. Since we began preparations for the Games, with the joint efforts of education and sports authorities, we carried out activities that encourage millions of young people to participate in winter sports as well as the plan for winter sports on campus, which brings winter sports directly onto school campuses. This work is fundamental, as it integrates knowledge about winter sports into physical education curriculums. We formulated and implemented teaching plans for winter sports. Such measures will continue to be implemented at primary and middle schools. By 2020, we had 2,062 schools featuring winter sports and that number will reach 5,000 by 2025.

Third, venue and facility construction. Over the years, we have seen great progress in developing facilities across the country. After the Games, we will continue to promote the construction of venues and facilities, while also encouraging temporary facilities for winter sports in parks and urban squares, in line with local conditions. And we will also upgrade facilities and venues for winter sports, particularly the ski resorts that you have mentioned. We will improve the quality and service to meet people's varied needs for winter sports.

Fourth, winter sports activities. You may know that China has carried out a lot of winter sports activities in recent years, such as the National Public Ice and Snow Season and National Public Happy Ice and Snow Week. Many provinces and cities also have their own brand activities for winter sports, such as Beijing's "Happy Ice and Snow Season" and Zhangjiakou's public winter sports festivals. All these activities have become brand events for winter sports. These activities will not only continue after the Games but get even better.

Fifth, professional talent training. To meet the general public's needs for winter sports, local sports authorities are stepping up training for social sports instructors, or coaches for winter sports at the grassroots level. Beijing now has 23,000 instructors, while Zhangjiakou has more than 20,000. They have played an important part in promoting winter sports. After the Games, the number of such instructors will continue to grow, and they will provide more guidance in promoting winter sports.

All these measures will continue to promote the development of China's winter sports and meet the general public's needs for winter sports. Thank you.

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CCTV:

In previous Olympics, there have been issues regarding post-Games use of the stadiums and venues and the use of unrenewable energy. What measures have been taken so that the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics can tackle these issues? Thank you.

Li Sen:

Thank you for your good question. The utilization of venues after grand sporting events has been a difficulty across the globe. In this regard, we have been trying our best to deal with this problem throughout the process of bidding and preparation, and we will continue to do so after the Games are open. Six venues originally constructed for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games will be reused for the upcoming Winter Olympics. Based on the existing experience, we have made plans for using all newly-constructed venues after the Games. We have taken the post-Games use of venues into full consideration while planning and designing them. The costs can be reduced with coordinated planning and synchronized design. These arrangements can be summarized in the following aspects:

First, we will bid for and hold high-level sporting events at these venues and stadiums. The Beijing Winter Olympics will be held in world-class venues and stadiums. In preparing for the Games, the local sports authorities and the venue owners have established mechanisms to better communicate and cooperate with international winter sports organizations, which will enable us to continue to bid for and hold high-level international and domestic sporting events after the Winter Olympics, so as to boost stadium operations and promote the development of ice and snow sports.

Second, we will ensure that all those stadiums and venues are open to the public. They will not only hold competitive sporting events but also serve as places for the public to do physical activities. At the beginning of the planning and design of all the new Olympic stadiums and venues, we have given thorough consideration to their availability for the public after the Games. For example, the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, also known as the "Ice Ribbon," is an iconic venue with an ice surface of about 12,000 square meters. This is designed for the public's use in the future, as mainly the 400-meter outer track will be used in the long track speed skating. Moreover, its central part can be divided into two standard ice rinks and this is an innovation. The venue will allow 2,000 people to skate at any given time after the Games. Let's take another example, the National Bobsleigh and Tobogganing Center in Yanqing district, which hosts the world's 17th track for bobsleigh and tobogganing. These niche sports are relatively high-risk. So, we designed a special area in the lower region where the slope is gentler, making it possible for the public to experience this sport after the Games.

Third, we make efforts to ensure that the venues can be open year-round. Winter sports are sensitive to the seasons. Seasonality is not that obvious when it comes to ice sports, as most ice rinks are built indoors, and artificial ice is available all year round. In this regard, they can be open to the public or be used to hold grand sports events and leisure activities year-round. However, except in winter, it would be difficult to experience snow sports or hold such sports events in the snow sports venues in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones. Eyeing this, by taking advantages of their natural ecological conditions, we have made the venues that are located in the mountainous areas suitable for outdoor sports, such as jogging, cross country running, mountain biking, mountaineering and rock climbing. We have also stepped up efforts to boost the development of tourism, mountain resorts and the outdoor sports industry by making use of local cultural and historical advantages. Perhaps you've already been to the competition zone in Zhangjiakou. As a matter of fact, the Genting Snow Park there receives more visitors in spring, summer and autumn for leisure seeking than in winter for snow skiing.

Fourth, we make efforts to ensure the joint development of the venues and regions. The post-Games use of venues is not about the operation of a certain venue but to integrate its development with the development of local areas, which should be planned and materialized in an overall program. Take the Yanqing competition zone as an example, as the home of Winter Olympic venues, Beijing Expo Park and the Great Wall, it ramps up efforts to develop distinctive sports and cultural tourism, with developing integrated tourism as the main approach. Likewise, the Olympic venues in the Zhangjiakou competition zone are used in developing Zhangjiakou into a "Sports City" and a tourism destination in Asia for ice-and-snow tourism and resorts that receives visitors year-round and adopts an integrated approach in developing tourism. Moreover, we also step up efforts to promote synergies among the Olympic venues and winter sports resources in the three competition zones, and integrate them with the public ice and snow facilities and sports facilities, as well as the natural and cultural resources for tourism along the areas between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, so as to boost the development of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou sports and cultural tourism belt with the help of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway and the Beijing-Chongli Expressway, driving high-quality development of the surrounding areas. Such development synergies will thereby ensure that the Olympic venues will be used in a long-term, comprehensive and sustainable manner. Thank you.

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TBS (Japan):

I have two questions. First, how much electric power is expected to be consumed during the Winter Olympics? Second, how much has been invested to make sure all energy consumed during the Winter Olympics are clean energy? Thank you.

Liu Yumin:

Thanks for your attention to the construction of the clean energy [system]. China has been contributing to building a community with a shared future for mankind and striving for sustainable development. We have made peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality part of the overall development plans for an ecological civilization. We have followed the green Olympics ideas in the preparations. We utilize the host cities' advantages in terms of resources, and ensure power supplies for the Beijing Winter Olympics through the existing municipal power grids in the cities. In accordance with the national green power market trading rules, we have ensured that all venues are supplied with green power supported by the green power trading mechanism. By utilizing existing and previously planned power grids, we don't need to build new electric power facilities except for those transformer equipment and power distribution facilities which are necessary for the venues.

According to the calculations, all venues in Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones are expected to consume 400 million kWh of green electricity from June 2019 when the first green electricity transaction took place until the conclusion of the Paralympics. That will help save 128,000 tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 320,000 tons. 

Thank you.

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Global Times:

Some Western media hype recently questioned if Beijing 2022 can meet green standards, alleging that it is hard to verify the green promises made for the Winter Games. What's your opinion on this? Thank you.

Yan Jiarong:

Thank you. As for the green standards you mentioned, I'd like to say that the Beijing Winter Olympics adheres to the standards set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as well as the sustainable standards set by the United Nations (UN). Beijing 2022 is the first Games that have implemented the Olympic Agenda 2020 throughout its bidding, preparing and hosting. It also plays an active role in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Upholding the principle to host a green Olympics, we strive to stage a sustainable Winter Games. There are many highlights in our efforts for Beijing's green Olympics, as Mr. Li Sen and Mr. Liu Yumin have just introduced. I'd like to add some more points. 

First, we have strengthened our strategic plans. Many foreign friends would say "you Chinese are good at long-term planning." The sustainability plan released by the organizing committee of Beijing 2022 and the IOC sets out a sustainable vision known as "Sustainability for the Future," and formulated 119 specific measures for positive environmental impact, new development for the region and better life for the people.

Second, we have adopted double-Olympic venues. As the other speakers said just now, we have made the best use of existing venues and facilities, which is another highlight in preparing for Beijing 2022. The National Stadium, dubbed the "Bird's Nest," will stage the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Games. The National Aquatics Center, known as the "Water Cube" during the 2008 Olympics, has become an "Ice Cube." The Wukesong Sports Center will be transformed for ice hockey events from a basketball stadium.

Third, we have implemented low-carbon emissions. Beijing 2022 has adopted multiple measures like low-carbon venues, low-carbon energy and low-carbon transportation to cut carbon emissions in preparing for and hosting the events, and achieve the ambitious goal of neutralizing all the carbon emissions generated during Beijing 2022.

Fourth, we have issued demonstrative standards. Beijing and Hebei province have jointly worked out the Evaluation Standards for Green Snow Venues as the green building standards for Winter Olympic snow venues, filling the gap at home and abroad. The sustainability management system of Beijing 2022 is unique to the Winter Olympics by integrating international standards including ISO20121, ISO4001 and ISO26000, making it the first of its kind in Olympic history to cover all the fields and scope in preparation for the Games. I believe it will set a good example for big events like the Olympics in the future. Thank you.

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BRTV:

Reusing legacy venues from the Summer Olympics is a big characteristic of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Could you introduce how Beijing is making use of the venues from the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics? Thank you.

Liu Yumin:

Thank you for your question. Beijing 2022 has made the most of the venue legacies from Beijing 2008. As Ms. Yan put it just now, the National Stadium, a venue for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, will be reused to stage the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The National Aquatics Center, also known as the "Water Cube," will become the "Ice Cube" for curling and wheelchair curling competitions. The National Indoor Stadium and the Wukesong Sports Center, two venues from Beijing 2008, will be reused for ice hockey competitions during the Winter Olympics. In addition to reusing these venues, we also have some legacy land from Beijing 2008. For example, we have transformed a temporary hockey field from the 2008 Games into a speed skating venue for the Winter Olympics. The lands for the Beijing Winter Olympic Village and the major media center were reserved in 2008. Moreover, regarding urban infrastructure, we have used a great deal of legacy infrastructure from Beijing 2008, including subway line 8 and line 10 as well as the corresponding power transformation and distribution facilities and water plants, to guarantee the Winter Olympics.

These reuses, especially the transformation of existing venues, are not a simple functional change. In fact, we still retained their original functions while injecting new functions for winter events. For example, the "Water Cube" can still be used as a swimming center after the Games, and the curling venue can be converted from ice to water in a few days. The reuse of venues, I think, is not a simple repetition, but rather to expand their functions, which is also a highlight of reusing the existing facilities. Thank you.

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CAN:

I have two questions. There have been some concerns raised about large amounts of artificial snow being used for the Games and the impact this will have on water resources and energy as well. What is your response to this? My second question is also, given that there are many environmental initiatives are being tested at the Olympics, what steps are being taken to ensure these measures are not just short-term but to yield long-term results? Thank you.

Yan Jiarong:

Firstly, I'd like to answer your question about artificial snow in two aspects. The leader of Zhangjiakou will elaborate on the city's situation later. Regarding your second question about the environment and how to ensure the sustainable measures we adopted are a medium and long-term action instead of short-term efforts, I believe one of the directors general may give you a better answer.

As for the artificial snow, first of all, I would tell you that judging from the water consumption for the artificial snow, Yanqing and Chongli mountain area where the snow events for the Beijing Winter Olympics are mainly situated have abundant natural snowfall due to their unique climate conditions. In November 2021, there was large-scale snowfall in these two places that reached categorical blizzard levels, providing a prerequisite for cutting the amount of water used for artificial snow. In terms of actual water consumption, the water demand in the Yanqing competition zone during the Games accounts for 1.6 percent of the current total local water consumption, and 0.4 percent of local water resources. The water demand in the Zhangjiakou competition zone during the Games accounts for 9.8 percent of Chongli District's total water consumption and 2.8 percent of its water resources. Moreover, we have worked out measures to ensure water supply security, sewage treatment and water conversation so as to improve the carrying capacity of the competition zones' water resources and water environment. The ski fields also give priority to using collected and reserved natural rainfall and overland runoff as their water source for artificial snow. Our artificial snow system has adopted the world's most advanced efficient water-saving equipment and intelligent snowmaking system, which can maintain an optimal snowmaking efficiency subject to the dynamic external environment, to effectively avoid the waste of water resources. On the whole, artificial snow requires limited water and will not affect the local water security and ecological environment.

On the other hand, I want to point out that snowmaking is not entirely an emergency measure to cope with weather conditions. It is an objective requirement to ensure the quality of snow used in major international competitions. If we look at snow sports events around the world, snowmaking is adopted in almost all major international competitions to ensure the quality of snow. It is because compared with natural snow, the particle size, the water content, and the hardness of artificial snow can be changed. This way, it helps fit the needs of different competition venues and has more stable properties than natural snow. It is easier to make trails with consistent conditions after being compacted, smoothed and injected with water. Such courses can ensure fairer games to some extent.

Thank you.

Liu Haifeng:

Thank you for your attention to and care for snowmaking and water consumption in the Zhangjiakou competition zone. Let me add some words to it. Like Ms. Yan said just now, snowmaking is an important, fundamental work to ensure stable trails and fair competition conditions for athletes no matter in what order they will start. According to international practice, no matter what the weather is like in the host place, snowmaking is needed to make trails fit competition venues' technical specifications and requirements. According to searchable records, Lake Placid, Vancouver, Sochi, and Pyeongchang Winter Olympics used lots of artificial snow. Up to 90% of the snow used in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics was artificial. Not long ago, we held the freestyle skiing and snowboard cross events of the 2021/22 FIS World Cup in Zhangjiakou, and up to 60% of the snow used in the trails in the Genting Snow Park was artificial. In a review after the events, the quality of the courses during the events was extensively recognized and praised by athletes from all countries.

To ensure snow services during the Beijing Winter Olympics, the Zhangjiakou competition zone has taken multiple precautionary measures and started preparing for snowmaking early. By collecting surface runoff and snowmelt, we have made advancements in water usage for snowmaking and eco-environment protection. Our efforts have been mainly embodied in three aspects: water conservation, water storage, and water-saving. In terms of water conservation, we have advanced eco-environment development in preparation for the Winter Olympics, with significant efforts in vigorous afforestation. As a result, the forest coverage of Chongli district has increased from 52.38% when the preparation started in 2015 to 71.53% today. The rate is already as high as 81.02% in the core area of the competition zone. Therefore, it can be said that our efforts have effectively conserved water. In terms of water storage, because of the excellent eco-environment and rich surface runoff in the Zhangjiakou competition zone, we have built 11 open reservoirs, underground snowmelt pools, and little landscape lakes among venues in the Genting Snow Park and Guyanshu venue clusters, totaling 530,000 cubic meters of water storage. These measures provide vital support in supplying water to make snow.

In terms of water saving, the two-venue clusters have adopted efficient, intelligent, and water-saving snowmaking systems and equipment that can dynamically maintain the most appropriate efficiency along with the changes of external environment. With this equipment, facilities, and smart system, we can save approximately 20% water. The reality has proven that all these measures have worked well and can fully meet the water needs for the snowmaking of all the Winter Olympic venues. Thank you.

Li Sen:

Your second question is how green technologies in staging Olympic events have been made more sustainable in practice. Green and environmentally friendly technologies have been widely used in the Winter Olympics, and there are many highlights in this respect. The previous speakers have briefed on it just now from various aspects, including the building of low-carbon venues, the adoption of carbon dioxide refrigeration technology in four ice rinks, and the construction of over-50,000-square-meter projects with ultra-low energy consumption—all these set good examples for developing low-carbon buildings to some extent.

We have realized the low-carbon energy supply. In other words, we have established the pilot demonstration project of Zhangbei renewable energy flexible DC power grid, which has ensured the integrated delivery of clean energy to the outside and ensured that the regular electricity demand of all the Winter Olympic venues is met by renewable energy. We have developed a low-carbon transportation system, which will ensure the use of clean energy vehicles during the games. In terms of competition zone protection, Ms. Yan mentioned the standards just now. All these are highlights of our innovative measures in terms of Winter Olympic technology, which will make immediate contributions to our urban and regional development and people's lives in the future, and has long-term benefits and promotional value. Some existing technologies that can be directly used for urban development, the Zhangbei flexible DC power grid, for example, will transmit renewable power resources to Beijing and its Yanqing district, and as a result, increase the proportion of renewable power resources used in Beijing and help China reduce carbon emissions and achieve peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. We use many clean energy vehicles, such as hydrogen and electric ones. These have boosted the development of relevant industries and will continue to be promoted and used after the games in our cities. Another point is the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. We have many significant scientific and technological gains in our preparations for the Winter Olympics, especially in the construction of venues. For example, there are many innovative outcomes in green building, which will be applied to other venues and infrastructure in the future. Carbon dioxide refrigeration technology is one of them. It can be used in venues for ice sports and some large refrigeration facilities in the future in a safe, stable, reliable, and energy-efficient way.

We set long-term standards because there were no green building standards for snow sports venues before, be it in China or abroad. Therefore, to build more environmentally friendly and more sustainable venues for snow sports, Beijing, Hebei, and Tianjin have brought together their planning and construction and other relevant authorities to establish the standards for evaluating green snow sports venues. As a result, the standards have become a local yardstick in these three localities and will serve as a regulative guide for the future construction of snow sports venues. As for the sustainability management system for major events mentioned by Ms. Yan just now, we have worked with relevant departments in Beijing to transform it into a guide for assessing the sustainability of major events. Turned into a local guiding criterion, it will offer a regulative guide to hosting major events and competitions.

Thank you.

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Beijing Youth Daily:

My question is about urban and regional development. Since China won the bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in 2015, many villages around the competition zones, such as Yanqing district in Beijing and Chongli district in Zhangjiakou, have boomed thanks to the Winter Olympics. With the construction of significant infrastructure, hotels, and venues, many changes have been made in these villages as well as to the life of their inhabitants. Are these changes sustainable? How can you demonstrate this? Thank you.

Yu Bo:

Thank you for your question and your concern about the work of the Yanqing competition zone. The Winter Olympic Games have indeed brought great changes to and played a driving role in the development of the surrounding areas, promoting Yanqing to speed up the construction of the most beautiful Winter Olympic City. In terms of achievements, Yanqing has made notable progress in the construction of infrastructure. The Beijing-Chongli Expressway and Yanqing branch line of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway have been completed and opened to traffic. Yanqing has completely broken transport bottlenecks through three expressways and a high-speed railway. Meanwhile, the energy structure of Yanqing district has also undergone profound changes through leapfrogging development of power infrastructure and the construction of its first gas pipeline. Notable progress has been made in industrial development. Yanqing has built world-class Olympic venues and pooled abundant ice and snow resources. Yanqing also has built many international brand hotels, with 18 star-rated hotels and nearly 12,000 beds. Meanwhile, Yanqing has created a homestay brand named "Yanqing Household" with more than 500 courtyard homestays and more than 1,000 star-ranked homestays managed in an orderly manner. The ice-snow tourism industry has grown significantly. Houheilongmiao Village, in the surrounding area of Yanqing district, has grown from a typical low-income village into a national key village for rural tourism. Employment has boomed, and income has increased significantly. We have provided training programs for 100,000 people, helping over 7,000 people find better quality jobs in the local area. We set up the Haituo Farmer Ski Team, with most of its members coming from Zhangshanying village near the competition zone. It now has nearly 100 farmer-turned ski members, of which more than 30 have obtained qualification certificates recognized by professional organizations and become professional ski coaches, referees, and athletes. This enabled local farmers to truly take ice and snow sports as a career, making a good start for local employment and income increases.

In terms of sustainable development, we have formulated the implementation plan and task list of post-competition utilization and industrial development with a high starting point and high standard, and all works have been conducted in an orderly manner. The Yanqing Olympic Zone has been officially approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and will open to the general public in May 2022. The Yanqing Haituo Mountain area has been selected as one of the first national ski vacation destinations. We will continue to speed up the construction of the most beautiful Winter Olympics City, ensure development dividends brought by the Winter Olympics will benefit the people of Yanqing, and make efforts to build Yanqing into a paragon in Winter Olympics heritage utilization. Thank you.

Liu Haifeng:

Thank you for your question. Let me introduce the details of Zhangjiakou city. As you have mentioned, the Winter Olympics has brought about earth-shaking changes to the lives and work of the local people. This is mainly manifested in the following three aspects:

In terms of the living environment, the ecological environment has continued to improve. The Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway and the Beijing-Chongli Expressway have opened to traffic. Municipal facilities and the appearance of urban and rural areas have also been comprehensively upgraded. Chongli has witnessed tremendous changes and greatly enhanced people's sense of gain.

In terms of living standards, according to incomplete statistics, one out of every five people in Chongli is currently engaged in ice and snow-related work, and more than 30,000 people are participating in the ice and snow and tourism industry directly or indirectly, ensuring that people get a stable job and has greatly improved their quality of life.  

On a spiritual level, Chongli, as a city of the Winter Olympics, has become more and more closely connected with the international community, enabling people to have a stronger sense of pride and honor. It has created a positive atmosphere in which people participate spontaneously in building their beautiful hometown and actively serving the Winter Olympics. To make the dividends of the Winter Olympics benefit more people in a sustainable way is also the goal and direction of our work. In the next step, we will fully utilize the resources of the Winter Olympics.

First, we will take the initiative to plan the use of the venues after the Winter Olympics. The Zhangjiakou municipal government has identified 2022 as the year to promote the Olympic economy. We will implement a number of iconic, leading, and influential conventions, exhibitions, and forums with the aim of building Chongli into an international ice and snow tourism destination and high-end convention and exhibition center. At present, the "three venues and one Olympic Village" have signed cooperation agreements with relevant enterprises. We will hold more than 30 sports events and exhibitions throughout the year. Taizicheng Ice and Snow Town has also reached a cooperation intention on convention and exhibition with the relevant institutions in Beijing. We will hold high-level forums such as the "Arc of Ice and Snow" Chongli Summit this year. We will strive to turn the Olympic effects into economic benefits by vigorously developing new forms of business such as sports events, exhibitions, and forums. 

Second, we will vigorously enhance the role of snow and ice sports. We will continue to give full play to the leading role of the Winter Olympics cities. While making full preparations for various events, including the fourth Ice and Snow Games in Zhangjiakou, we will introduce a number of high-level domestic events to gather resources and popularity. We will further improve the development system of snow and ice sports, promote the popularization of snow and ice sports, and ensure that more than 2 million people participate in snow and ice sports during the whole snow season.  

Third, we will actively cultivate new business forms, which can increase people's income. We will adhere to integrated development guided by sports, empowered by culture, and driven by tourism. We will create a number of representative and influential tourism routes for the purposes of sports and leisure, study and team building, and health and wellness, promoting the integrated development of sports, culture, and tourism industries. This year, we will focus on improving leisure consumption infrastructure. We will actively introduce a number of chain stores and specialty restaurants, vigorously promote Olympic licensed products and Chongli's menu of Winter Olympics delicacies, and promote new forms of rural tourism such as characteristic homestays and specialty restaurants. We will strive to ensure that people have more stable jobs, increase income and become richer. Thank you.

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Beijing Daily:

All venues will be powered by green electricity during the 2022 Winter Olympics, the first time in Olympic history. Where does the green electricity come from? How to ensure the safety and stability of green electricity? What technological breakthroughs have been made, and what is the current state of power operations? Thank you.  

Liu Yumin:

Thank you for your interest in green power. Green power is also known as green electricity, which refers to electricity converted from renewable energy by means of wind, hydropower and solar photovoltaic. During Beijing 2022, all venues will be powered by green electricity. The realization of green electricity is largely thanks to three aspects:

First, in terms of clean energy distribution, the green power supply for the Beijing Winter Olympics benefit from the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Among the three competition zones, Zhangjiakou and Yanqing have abundant clean energy reserves. When visiting, you can see that there are many big windmills around the Guanting Reservoir in Yanqing, as well as in Zhangjiakou. These are wind power generation facilities that were built more than 10 years ago. In 2008, the Guanting Reservoir wind farm achieved a wind power generation breakthrough in Beijing for the first time. According to our calculations and estimates, Zhangjiakou's exploitable wind energy reserves exceed 40 million kilowatts and the exploitable solar energy resources reach 30 million kilowatts. In addition, the annual output of biomass resources is more than 2 million metric tons. So the reserves of renewable energy are very sufficient, which guarantees the supply of green electricity for the Winter Olympic venues.

Second, regarding the infrastructure integration, Mr. Li Sen just mentioned that the 500 kV flexible DC power grid in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has adopted many new, world-class technologies, as well as pioneered various other technologies. The DC grid network boasts the highest voltage level and the largest transmission capacity in the world. Through this power grid, we can transmit the green power from Zhangbei county to every venue across the three competition zones with minimal loss.

Third, during the operational processes, we have also achieved a complementary and coordinated system based on multiple energy sources. The surplus electric energy on the DC grid will be transported to the Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station constructed by the State Grid, one of its existing power facilities. When the demand for electricity becomes high, Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station will send the stored electricity to the grid, which is akin to backing up a large "power bank" for the entire network. Through energy complementation and coordination work, the power security of the Winter Olympic venues is guaranteed. Thank you.

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Cover News:

The Yanqing competition zone has a special environment and is ecologically sensitive. As such, balancing the relationship between the construction of venues and the natural ecology poses a challenge for sustainable development. How can the Yanqing competition zone protect its ecology while undergoing construction? Likewise, ecological restoration work has been going on in the Yanqing competition zone. What is its current progress? Thank you.

Yu Bo:

You raised a very good question, and this is also a problem that we've been working to solve. The highest elevation within the core area of the Yanqing competition zone for the Winter Olympics is 2,198 meters above sea level while the lowest elevation is more than 300 meters. In the early stage of construction, the core area of the Yanqing competition zone was a mountainous area with no roads, no water, no electricity and no communication facilities. Transportation relied entirely on manpower, mules and horses. It was the most difficult to build among the three major zones of the Beijing Winter Olympics. In order to ensure sustainable development, the Yanqing competition zone has always adhered to the concept of "green Olympics," and the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets throughout the entire process of venue construction. Ecological protection and the construction of the Winter Olympic projects have moved forward together. The construction took six years, however, the core design concept of "venues built among mountains and forest for an ecological Winter Olympics" became a reality from that blueprint.

First, we have completed the ecological restoration of the competition zone with a high standard. We hired an advisory group including 18 experts and professors from Tsinghua University and Beijing Forestry University, which is headed by Qian Yi, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The group is divided into three panels: one for vegetation and landscape restoration, one for geological disasters and soil and water conservation, and another for hydrology and water environment. They conducted a baseline survey on flora and fauna resources in the competition zone as well as the 2,000-hectare surrounding area, and supervised and guided the ensuing ecological restoration work in the Yanqing competition zone. At present, the ecological restoration of the 2.16 million square meters of the Yanqing competition zone has been completed. The native trees have settled in their original place, the pristine subalpine meadows have returned, the wildlife corridors have been effectively established and the ecological environment of the competition zone has been wholly restored.

Second, animals and plants are well protected. In terms of plant protection, the venue construction adheres to the principle of "avoidance." We tried our best to protect and preserve the existing native trees on the site, and make way for natural secondary forests in the design of ropeways; in the case that the construction couldn't avoid the native plants, we resorted to near-situ and ex-situ conservation measures. In the competition zone, a total of five in-situ conservation areas were built, and 313 trees were preserved; two near-situ conservation areas were built, and 11,000 shrubs and grasses were transplanted there; an ex-situ conservation base of 300 mu and the Winter Olympic Forest Park covering an area of 480 mu were built, with 24,000 trees transplanted there. The survival rate of the transplanted trees is 90.7%. At the same time, we carried out topsoil stripping across 81,000 cubic meters. After construction was completed, the sites were covered by the original soil and the original appearance has been restored, so as to preserve the seed bank to the greatest extent and reduce the risk of biological invasion. In terms of animal protection, during the construction process, we established or left open wildlife corridors, reduced nighttime construction, installed artificial nests, and restored and rebuilt animal habitats. If we found newborn or injured wild animals, we took care of them in a timely manner. Since 2019, wild animals such as boars, badgers and gorals have been spotted many times around the competition zone, and in 2021, infrared cameras captured more than 14,000 valid photos and videos, monitoring and spotting 11 species of mammals – an increase of one species from 2019 – and 18 species of birds – an increase of six species from 2019. At present, there are 452 species of terrestrial wild animals from 95 families of 30 orders, which are distributed throughout Yanqing district, including 392 species of birds, 38 species of mammals, and 22 species of amphibians and reptiles. The ecological environment continues to improve, becoming the home of various wild animals and plants.

Third, we have promoted green and low-carbon recycling. All venues in the competition zone meet the three-star standard for green buildings. We promoted low-carbon management. For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, all venues will be powered by green electricity. We promoted green transportation for the venues and more than 200 hydrogen energy buses have been delivered for use and will be put in the transportation service during the Games. We promoted the recycling of water resources so that reclaimed water that meets the standards after treatment can be used for road watering, green irrigation, toilet flushing, etc., which significantly improves the efficiency of water resource use. The Yanqing competition zone fully embodies the concept of "green Winter Olympics" and "low-carbon Winter Olympics."

Thank you.

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China Arab TV:

Beijing has implemented environmentally-friendly technologies in transportation, electricity supply, and water and waste management to ensure a green Olympic Games, all of which set a big example for foreign countries to follow. What are the major challenges facing all of these preparations? Thank you.

Li Sen:

Thank you for your question. As you've mentioned, the "Green Olympics" is one of the four concepts that we are following to host the Winter Games. We have adopted many related technologies in terms of transportation, electricity supply, and water and waste management. My colleagues also spoke about this topic just now.

For example, we have managed to achieve low-carbon transportation. Beijing's competition zone is situated in the plains region, and vehicles there are either fully electric or powered by natural gas. Meanwhile, those in the Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones are mainly powered by hydrogen fuel to meet the transport conditions of mountainous regions. Almost all passenger cars and nearly 80% of all vehicles are energy efficient or powered by clean energy. In terms of electricity supply, Mr. Liu made a detailed introduction just now. We managed to realize a 100% renewable electricity supply by transmitting renewable energy to the competition zones in Yanqing, and other competition zones in Beijing. This has also improved the local region's capacity for utilizing renewable energy.

In terms of water, we use surface water for snowmaking in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones, and the water is collected by harvesting rain and melting snow. Both of these competition zones are equipped with high-standard domestic sewage treatment facilities which will comprehensively collect and process sewage, then it can be reused.

As for waste management, following the principle of reducing waste at the source, recycling waste into resources and managing waste in a unified way, we have implemented unified management measures and garbage sorting. In fact, the management of waste is based on different stages. For example, for waste issues that occurred during the construction process, some of the rocks in the mountainous area in Yanqing could be directly used to make gabion walls and pave roads. Likewise, several once-deserted pile heads produced during the construction of the National Speed Skating Oval were reused as raw materials to build the stands of the Oval. As for recycling waste during the Games, we will follow the unified standard for waste management and strictly enforce garbage sorting. The collection, transportation, sorting and processing of waste will be conducted in a standardized manner.

All these eco-friendly measures for Beijing 2022 not only meet the requirements of hosting a "Green Olympics" and ensure a high-standard Games but also play a proactive role in future developments, including the development of cities and industries as well as people's wellbeing.

Today marks the 22-day countdown to Beijing 2022, and all preparation work is put in place. Regarding your question about the challenges, we believe that we have the capacity to host the Games as planned. We launched a domestic test series of snow and ice sports last February and April respectively and hosted a total of 10 test events for global athletes from last October to December. These test events are a testament to our eco-friendly measures including green energy vehicles, renewable electricity supply, water recycling and waste management, and prove that our technologies are very stable and reliable and meet the standards of hosting the competition. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Due to time constraints, we will have one last question.

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Southern Metropolis Daily:

We've learned that Beijing adhered to the principles of low-carbon and energy-efficient in constructing the Winter Olympic Village, and all the residential buildings have been certificated as three-stars green buildings. How were these buildings created? Were their construction costs high? Will the technologies be applied to other public facilities? Thank you.

Liu Yumin:

Thank you for your questions. A green building is a building that saves resources, protects the environment, and reduces pollution during its whole life cycle while providing people with healthy, suitable, and efficient space to realize the harmonious co-existence between man and nature to the most significant extent. A green building has characteristics of safety and durability, health and comfort, convenience, resource conservation and livability. Therefore, it is an essential measure for peak carbon and carbon neutrality in the construction industry.

In China, three stars are awarded to the highest-rated green buildings. China attaches great importance to developing green buildings and vigorously promotes green building practices. As with many other countries, China has included green building requirements into the general requirements for urban construction. Though standards differ among countries, the construction costs of the green buildings in the Winter Olympic Village all fall within a reasonable range. Therefore, the buildings are economical and meet the requirements for sustainable development.

We coordinated the construction of venues for Beijing 2022 throughout all procedures, including site selection, design and material selection, to fulfill the criteria of being both economical and effective. As a result, as Mr. Li Sen mentioned, all the newly-built indoor venues for the Games have met China's standards of three-stars green buildings.

Whether in China or other countries, most green building standards are formulated for indoor buildings. However, many Winter Olympic venues are outdoor buildings, including those constructed on snow. Therefore, we organized experts to develop a green building standard for sports venues on snow in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei province in the early construction process. Up to now, all the venues have met the standard. This regional standard has promoted the construction of green buildings for the Games and contributed to the development of the Winter Olympics in China and relevant international standards. It will also become a legacy of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The Winter Olympic Village in Beijing has adopted many new green technologies. For example, the main residential building in the village adopts a prefabricated steel structure. This aseismic structure is light, environmentally friendly, and quick to build. It is also easy to control its quality.

A polyclinic needs to be set up inside the village according to the requirements. Therefore, this medical facility adopts a building envelope with greater thermal insulation and airtightness as a demonstration project of ultra-low energy-consuming buildings. In addition, highly efficient fresh air heat recovery technology helps minimize the need for heating and cooling the building while making good use of renewable energy.

The sound insulation and air quality of the interior spaces such as bedrooms and living rooms have been optimized to create a healthy and comfortable environment.

The roof of the building can host various outdoor activities. It helps improve the microclimate and offers the "Fifth Façade" for the urban environment. At the same time, solar panels installed on the roof can supply more than 70% of residential hot water.

We pay special attention to controlling carbon emissions during the construction and operation of the venues. We selected low-carbon materials and equipment through Building Information Modeling (BIM) analytics. With the help of an energy consumption monitoring platform, we coordinated carbon emission information across the village.

It is fair to say that the Winter Olympic Village has become a model living environment project, which is green, healthy, livable, intelligent, and sustainable. It can provide a healthy and comfortable living environment for athletes from all over the world and set an example for the development of the construction industry. The above-mentioned green building requirements have become part of the general requirements of China's construction industry. The technologies I mentioned just now will continue to be used in urban construction. As technologies mature and upgrade, I believe green buildings will play a bigger role in improving venues and urban construction.

Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you to friends from the media and all our speakers. Today's press conference is with this concluded.

Translated and edited by Cui Can, Chen Xia, Gong Yingchun, Liu Sitong, Dong Qingpei, Zhang Junmian, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, Zhu Bochen, Wang Yanfang, Zhang Liying, Li Huiru, Wang Qian, Wang Yiming, Yuan Fang, Duan Yaying, Yang Xi, Zhang Jiaqi, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, Tom Arnstein and Drew Pittock. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.