On February 4, China will light the main torch of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in the “Bird’s Nest,” as 1.4 billion Chinese people celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival. Beijing will be the first city to host the summer and winter Olympic Games.
President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address that “We will spare no effort to present a great Games to the world.” The games will deliver a streamlined, safe, and splendid Winter Olympic Games to the world and ensure all participants feel spring-like warmth and provide more solidarity, confidence, and strength.
The Beijing Winter Olympic Games will also be distinguished for its Green features. For the first time in Olympic history, all venues in the competition zones are powered 100% by green energy. And as first ever in Winter Olympic history, ice-making will use carbon dioxide as a two refrigerant, cutting carbon emissions to nearly zero.
Most of the Winter Olympic Games venues are renovated from the existing venues and facilities of the 2008 Summer Olympics Games, coordinating the needs of the games and post-games use. We are confident that the Beijing Winter Olympic Games will be a carbon-neutral event.
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China highly appreciates Pakistan’s strong support and sincere wishes to China in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics. We warmly welcome Prime Minister Imran Khan to come to China to attend the opening ceremony. Prime Minister Imran Khan recently told Chinese media that this would be the first Olympics he will witness. Khan stated he is looking forward to experiencing an exciting global event in Beijing.
President Dr. Arif Alvi laughed when he received the mascot and noted that the Beijing Winter Olympic Games would be “very successful” and Pakistan would participate in the splendid sports event with passion and joy. We wish the Pakistani sports delegation good luck, excel in the Games, and look forward to seeing the Pakistani flag flying high again in the “Bird’s Nest”!
Last year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan. The two sides held more than 140 activities to celebrate and commemorate this momentous occasion, which all attached high popularity. Be it the exchange of congratulatory messages between the two countries’ leaders, high-profile receptions or activities such as the signing of friendship deals between provinces and cities, a youth video contest, and exchanges covering a wide range of areas including the political, diplomatic, economic, sub-national, education, scientific, cultural and health sectors.
The celebrations held virtually or in-person deepened political mutual trust, strengthened the two peoples’ friendship, and promoted practical cooperation in various sectors despite COVID-19 restrictions. During the past seven decades, no matter how the international situation may change, the two sides have always stood side by side in weal and woe.
China and Pakistan have worked together to tackle risks and challenges such as COVID-19, consolidating strategic mutual trust and deepening strategic cooperation. History has fully proved that the two countries are the most reliable iron-clad brothers for each other.
Read more: Together for the Winter Olympics and Future
Just as President Xi Jinping said in the phone conversation with Prime Minister Imran Khan, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with more sources of 4 turbulence and risks worldwide. Under the new circumstances, the two countries should firmly stand together and push forward the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, building a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. Nowadays, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has entered a new stage of high-quality development, and the cooperation between our two sides will have even greater potential.
China supports Pakistan in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions. It is willing to share high-quality development opportunities in industrialization, urbanization, and digitization. China will continue to support Pakistan in its fight against COVID-19, jointly build the CPEC with high quality and strengthen cooperation in such fields as agriculture, digital economy, and people’s livelihood.
We will continue to unleash the positive effects of the CPEC in promoting growth and improving people’s well-being. China is ready to work with Pakistan to enhance multilateral coordination, practice genuine multilateralism, promote international fairness and justice, safeguard the two countries’ common interests, and maintain world peace and stability.
We look forward to the five meetings between the two countries’ leaders during the Beijing Winter Olympics, which will further draw a brighter future for China-Pakistan relations.
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Let us join hands to welcome the Beijing Winter Olympics under the guidance of the Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together” and strive for more incredible progress in our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. China and Pakistan, together for a shared future!