IOC statement on the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022
The President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, talked by telephone on Monday (25 January) and discussed the progress of preparations for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
They discussed the Chinese President’s recent visit to the competition venues in Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, in Hebei province, and his positive impressions.
President Bach congratulated President Xi on the fact that his vision of making 300 million Chinese people familiar with winter sports through the Olympic and Paralympic Games is already becoming a reality. With this, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 will transform the global scene for winter sports.
The two leaders also discussed the close cooperation between the IOC and Chinese authorities with regard to health matters and the measures already being taken to ensure safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2022.
President Xi informed President Bach about the strengthened health measures the Chinese authorities are currently also taking with regard to the organisation of sports events. The IOC President welcomed this stringent approach because it will lead to a faster recovery from the pandemic, giving even more confidence in the safer organisation of the Olympic Games.
The Chinese President also offered cooperation with the IOC to ensure that both the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be safe and successful.
Beyond this, the two leaders discussed all other matters which are important to the success of the Olympic Games and the long-term mutual cooperation.