“Together with all of the Chinese people, I welcome friends from all over the world to gather in Beijing in 2022.” Chinese President Xi Jinping extended a cordial invitation to people across the world, when addressing the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in 2018 via video link. The invitation also represents a solemn commitment China made to the international community, which is to make the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (Beijing 2022) a successful event.

President Xi has attached great importance to the preparation for the Beijing 2022 and promoted the idea of hosting a “green, inclusive, open, and clean” Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Over the last six years, China once again demonstrated “Chinese efficiency” to the world in the preparation for Beijing 2022.

By the end of 2020, the construction and renovation of all 12 competition venues had been completed. In July 2021, the National Alpine Ski Center, the National Sliding Center, and the Winter Olympic Village were accepted from construction contractors. From October 5 to December 31, the eight venues in the three competition zones of downtown Beijing, Yanqing District, and Zhangjiakou were scheduled to hold 10 international events and three training weeks, welcoming around 2,000 athletes, team officials, international technical officials, and timing and scoring professionals from across the world.

Beijing 2022 will be eco-friendly. Climate change and energy issues are currently prominent global challenges. They are a matter of the common interest of the international community, and also a matter concerning the future of our planet. President Xi stressed that in hosting Beijing 2022, China should put the ecology first and take an energy-saving and eco-friendly approach. The organizers of Beijing 2022 have been following this approach and putting the requirement of hosting a simple and green Olympic Winter Games into action. They made full use of existing conditions and resources and repurposed venues built for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics for both summer and winter events. The organizers also formulated and executed work plans for low-carbon management and worked to create a sustainable management system.

With China’s ongoing efforts, Beijing 2022 will be the first Olympic event in history to power all competition venues with electricity 100 percent generated in an eco-friendly manner. In the meantime, committed to a clean Olympic Games, China will show zero tolerance toward doping. It is dedicated to hosting an event that is as pure and clean as ice and snow.

Beijing 2022 will be safe. In the face of severe challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers of Beijing 2022 will put the health and safety of all participants first. They have assembled expert groups and formulated a master plan for COVID-19 response during the Games. Closed-loop management will be implemented, with specific protocols applying to different zones and levels, and under different conditions. The organizers will add necessary facilities for COVID-19 testing, quarantine and emergency response in competition venues in a targeted manner. The International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee and the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games published the first editions of the Beijing 2022 Playbooks on October 25. The playbooks will provide comprehensive guidance on COVID-19 prevention and response for all participants.

Beijing 2022 will be spectacular. As the saying goes, “Friendship built in an appropriate manner defies geographical distance.” Transcending national borders and ethnical differences, sports is a common language shared by humanity. The Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be a grand meeting for all countries and a level playing ground for all athletes from across the world. The official motto “Together for a Shared Future,” while calling on the people, regardless of their skin color, race or religion, to unite under the Olympic flag and join hands, embodies the Olympic spirit and the vision of building a community of a shared future for humanity. On January 27, 2022, the Winter Olympic Village will open. I believe athletes around the world will feel China’s determination and dedication in presenting a successful Olympic event through safe accommodation, professional competition venues, and attentive competition-related services.

Portugal is a country whose people are passionate about sports and honor the Olympic spirit. China and Portugal have maintained good relations in sports and achieved fruitful results in cooperation on sports. I believe that while promoting the Olympic spirit, enhancing solidarity of the international community and jointly boosting the faith of humanity in mutual support, Beijing 2022 will also bring new opportunities for mutually beneficial China-Portugal cooperation on sports. China is ready to work with Portugal and the entire international community to promote the development of Olympic winter sports and the Olympic spirit. I also wish participating Portuguese athletes success at Beijing 2022.

Zhao Bentang is Chinese ambassador to Portugal.

The story was first published by the Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Notícias.