2023-09-23 08:26:17
IOC President Thomas Bach was received by Chinese President Xi Jinping the day before the opening of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. He was accompanied for the occasion by IOC members in China, Yu Zaiqing, Li Lingwei and Zhang Hong.
The IOC President once once more thanked the Chinese President for organizing, under his leadership, the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Today, the Chinese people can benefit from the great legacy of these Games,” said Thomas Bach. Some 346 million Chinese people took up winter sports thanks to the Games, giving a considerable boost to winter sports internationally. Given this impressive success, the IOC has decided to allocate its share of the USD 10.4 million surplus from the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games hosting budget to preserving the legacy of these Games as well as the development of sport in China, in particular by continuing to encourage the practice of winter sports by these 346 million Chinese, with a particular emphasis placed on young people.
IOC/Greg Martin
As President Xi Jinping recalled, memories of the Winter Olympic Games are still very present in the minds of the Chinese people, with China keen to preserve the legacy of the Games by continuing to use the venues. . “China will take full advantage of the legacy of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games,” said the Chinese president, explaining that the surplus from these Games would be used to contribute to the development of winter sports in China.
The IOC President also thanked President Xi Jinping for China’s support for the latest G20 Leaders’ Declaration, which read: “We also look forward to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, as a symbol of peace, dialogue between countries and inclusion, with the participation of all.” Thomas Bach declared that the IOC was committed to preserving the non-politicization of sport, widely supported by the international community, as he himself was able to observe during his numerous meetings with political leaders on the occasion of the the United Nations General Assembly in New York, which he attended before traveling to China. President Xi Jinping affirmed that his country would fully support this position as well as the initiatives taken by the IOC. He also welcomed the contribution of sport to peace and the promotion of mutual understanding in the world.
IOC/Greg Martin
President Thomas Bach also underlined the excellent ties of cooperation that exist with the Chinese Olympic Committee, under the leadership of its president, Gao Zhidan, also present at the meeting alongside other Chinese officials including Cai Qi, the Former Chairman of the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee, member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Chief of Staff to President Xi Jinping, Ding Xuexiang, Vice Premier of China, Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Shen Yiqin, Advisor to ‘State. As Thomas Bach confided, collaboration with the Chinese NOC has become even closer since the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, which were truly exceptional.
As a prelude to the opening ceremony of the Asian Games this Saturday, the IOC President declared: “I am convinced that these Asian Games will be a success and a magnificent event that will promote unity and friendship in Asia. “
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