The Beijing Winter Olympics, officially opening on Friday, will be streamlined, safe and splendid, Chinese President Xi Jinping has assured the international sports community.
Addressing the IOC session in Beijing via a brief video message, Xi said China had played an active part in the Olympic movement since staging the 2008 summer Olympics.
For these winter Games the country had engaged 300 million Chinese in winter sports as promised, he said.
Photo: Photosport
"From 'One World-One Dream' in 2008 to 'Together for a Shared Future' in 2022, China has taken an active part in the Olympic movement and consistently championed the Olympic spirit," he said.
"The world is turning its eyes to China and China is ready. We will do our best to deliver to the world a streamlined, safe and splendid Games."
The Chinese capital will become the first city to host both summer and winter editions of the Olympics.
The United States and some allied countries have staged a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics over human rights in China, while concerns about the coronavirus have curtailed crowds at the Games.
-Reuters
