Correspondent interviewed Yang Xiaochao after news conference. Shot by Yin Xiaoping, correspondent of Yangtze Evening News

Skiing held in Bird's Nest stadium

Ski resort in Zhang Jiakou

“Chinese citizens gave high comprehensive approval rating to 94.8% as high on the proposal for Beijing and Zhang Jiakou hosting 2022 Winter Olympics jointly.”

At 3:00 pm on February 8, by Sochi local time, Beijing Olympic Games Bid Committee held exchange meeting in Sochi Winter Olympics Main Press Center for bidding 2022 Winter Olympics.
At the meeting ,Yang Xiaochao ,vice-chairman of Beijing Olympic Games Bid Committee and vice mayor of Beijing city, firstly revealed a latest public opinion poll carried out by a French research company under the commission of BOGBC. Meanwhile, BOGBC officials also introduced to media the general idea, concept, plan and progress on the bidding work.

This news was contributed by Yin Xiaoping (Telecommunication from Sochi on this morning), special correspondent of Yangtze Evening News

Why do we bid for 2022 Winter Olympics?

In 2008, Beijing presented an unforgettable Summer Olympic Games to the whole world. Only 5 years later, why does Beijing propose to bid for the 24th Winter Olympic Games in 2022?

Yang Xiaochao revealed:” Winter Olympics has not yet been held in China, the world’s most populous nation. We hope to fulfill the dream of hosting both the Summer and Winter Olympics in the same city by holding 2022 Winter Olympics; show the new energy of the sustainable development of economy, society, cultural and ecological environment in Beijing and its neighboring regions, which are benefited from hosting Winter Olympics; advocate Olympic Spirit in improving the health and living of people.”

Yang Xiaochao conveyed the reasons for Beijing and Zhang Jiakou to apply for hosting 2022 Winter Olympics are: firstly, all Chinese people, including these two cities’ citizens are pursuing ideals of Olympic Games for quite long time; secondly, by the opportunity of biding and organizing Winter Olympics, we hope to take full advantages of the capital economy region in its radiation effects on surrounding areas and develop new sports culture tourism belts along the section of Beijing and Zhang Jiakou, so as to push forward forcefully the economic development ,continuous improvement on environment and people’s living standard in Beijing or less developed neighboring regions; thirdly, that will help to further promote the opening up of Beijing and China, speed up the objective of making Beijing a “world city”, and let China know the world, let the world know China; fourthly, preparing to host Winter Olympics will help to optimize and perfect winter sports facilities and leisure tourist environments, directly driving at least 300 million people to attend winter sports in Beijing, Shi Jiazhuang province and their neighboring regions, which will accelerate the development and popularity of winter sports in China and Asia. Also it will improve Chinese sportsmen’s athletics ability and participation level of winter sports fans.

What are the advantages for China to bid for hosting Winter Olympic?

Yang Xiaochao explained the advantages in three aspects.

First of all, Chinese Government strongly supports the work to bid for Winter Olympics.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed so clearly wishes to support Beijing for biding Winter Olympics when he met with Bach. Chinese Government established biding institute led by vice-prime minister Liu Yandong, committing to offer a comprehensive range of support and assurance for 2022 Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics.

Secondly, if Beijing and Zhang Jiakou succeeded in bidding for Winter Olympics, only 3 stadiums should be built.

After Beijing Olympic Games, stadiums and facilities in Bird’s Nest, Wukesong Sports Center and National Convention Center are still available for Winter Olympics. Yang Xiaochao pointed out, for instances, that five ice-sports of Winter Olympics can be held in Olympic Center in north part of Beijing city, Capital Gymnasium in west of Beijing or in Wukesong Sports Center; by use of Xiao Haituo Mountain’s current hillside, makeshift filed can be built here. Then this makeshift field can be used for alpine skiing in bobsled, luge and skiing sports. Xiao Haituo Mountain in Yanqing County lies just in northwest part of Beijing city, about 90 km away from Beijing downtown…

Yang Xiaochao added that according to schedule 12 sports stadiums are going to be used for Winter Olympics in these two cities, and among them 3 stadiums shall be newly built, the others can come into service after amendment.

Thirdly, transportations in Beijing and Zhang Jiakou are very convenient.

The maximum distance among Beijing, Yanqing and Zhang Jiakou is only 220km. At the moment, these three cities are being connected by Jingzang Expressway, Jingxin Expressway and National Road 110. High-speed rail through Beijing and Zhang Jiakou will be built this year, whereupon it will take only 20 minutes from Beijing to Yanqing, less than 1 hour to Zhang Jiakou and snow sports field in Taizi city, Chungli.

Worries on disadvantages for Beijing and Zhang Jiakou to bid Winter Olympic

Foreign public opinions show that it seemed less likely for China to win this bid, although Beijing and Zhang Jiakou applied for hosting 2022 Winter Olympics with great confidence. Considering that Pingchang, South Korea is going to hold 2018 Winter Olympics, will IOC allow the following two consecutive Winter Olympics to be held still in Asia?

In addition, issues of environment are likely to hinder Beijing and Zhang Jiakou to bid for Winter Olympics

Having hosted one-time Olympic Games in the past resulted in shortcoming.

At new conference, foreign correspondents told officials from Beijing and Zhang Jiakou Olympic Committee that quite a few IOC members thought shortcoming of China existed, caused by the fact that China had already hosted one-time Olympic Games in the past

Pingchang, South Korea is going to host next Winter Olympics in 2018 and Tokyo will host Summer Olympics in 2020. If Beijing won the bidding, then three-time Olympic Games would be hosted successively in East Asia. IOC would not accept this fact.

Environment issues will set biding into trouble

Meanwhile, Chinese correspondent thought air quality and traffic conditions in Beijing are weakness for the biding. A radio interviewer asked Yang Xiaochao: “As the air quality in Beijing is so bad, would people like to come here?”

Yang Xiaochao did not avoid this question. He said that everybody have seen first-hand the environment issues in Beijing, especially air quality conditions. However, said Yang Xiaochao” Under the general requirement of State Council, Beijing Municipal Government started out a three-year plan to keep PM 2.5 mean concentration (value of number) dropping by 25% within 3 years. ” At the same time, a new law named “ Beijing Air Quality Rules” was passed in People’s Congress of Beijing this year, with the hope to continuously improve air quality in Beijing. Additionally, in my opinion the improvement of our environment is not merely up to one region, but to corporations among several regions. Driven by this biding for Winter Olympics, we can together with Hebei province improve atmosphere environment around Beijing. That is the biggest challenge confronted before us.”