Mr Wang Xining, Chargé d'Affaires of Chinese Embassy in Australia attended the one-month countdown to the Beijing Winter Olympics online event co-organized by the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney and the Australian Olympic Committee on January 4th. The remarks are as follows.
Mr. Matt Carroll AM, CEO of the Australian Olympic Committee,
Mr. Zhou Limin, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney,
The Honourable Mr. John Alexander OAM, Federal Member of Parliament,
Ms. Zhang Qian, Director General of the International Relations Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the Chinese Embassy, I'd like to congratulate the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney and the Australian Olympic Committee on the online event of one-month Countdown to the Beijing Winter Olympics.
My memory is still fresh of China's biding for hosting Olympics 30 years ago. Back in 1992, we were eager to host the Millennium Summer Olympics, but Sydney got the right to host that Games. In the years that followed, China gave its full support to Australia's effort to host the Sydney Olympics, and the Chinese athletes achieved excellent results at the Sydney Olympic Games.
In 2001, China succeeded in winning the right to host the 2008 Beijing Olympics. During the years that followed when China had been busy preparing for the Games, we received strong support from the Australian side, and friends from the sport community in Australia, especially from the Australian Olympic Committee. Beijing Olympics was a huge success and the world saw a vibrant, open, passionate and welcoming China. Our sports cooperation in those years will forever go down in the Olympics history.
Today, the Covid pandemic still shows no sign of a complete ending. The world seems to have become more volatile, polarized and disturbing. The Beijing Winter Olympics comes at such special moment, maybe we should hope, as IOC President Mr.Bach hopes, that Beijing Winter Olympics will bring the world together in a spirit of peace, friendship and solidarity.
My government and people are working with enthusiasm, pragmatism and professionalism to do the final preparation for the Winter Olympics. As Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized, successfully hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics is our solemn commitment to the international community. China is committed to the concept of "green, inclusive, open and clean" in the whole process of organizing the Games, and we look forward to providing the world with a wonderful, extraordinary and outstanding Olympic event.
Sport has no borders, so does the Olympic spirit of "faster, higher, stronger and together". Solidarity fuels our mission to make the world a better place through sport. We can only go faster, we can only aim higher, we can only become stronger by standing together — in solidarity. We hope Beijing Winter Olympics will bring more courage and hope to all those who are still in difficulties and facing challenges.
“Together for a Shared Future” is the theme slogan for the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. It is also a sincere invitation from China to the world to transcend nationalities and differences, to unite closely under the Olympics banner, to work together to tackle the pandemic, climate change and other global challenges, and to jointly build a better community for our shared future.
Dear friends,
Beijing Winter Olympics coincides with the Chinese Lunar New Year. During that traditional festival, I think people in Beijing will bring out the most sumptuous food, the most delicious wine and the most interesting events to treat our beloved friends from all over the world. As far as I know, during the Spring Festival, some villages near Yanqing competition zone will hold Lantern Festival, I hope that our Australian friends, coaches, and athletes will be able to visit the cold northern city of China after a “very warm Christmas”, and enjoy the charm of traditional Chinese folklore since ancient times.
Finally, I wish all Australian athletes excellent performances and great success in the Beijing Olympic Winter Games. And we also sincerely hope that China and Australia will enhance mutual understanding, deepen exchanges and cooperation, so that the two people will enjoy friendship for generations to come at this important moment when we greet the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia.
Thank you all.