40 years on

Editor’s note: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up policy.

Ten years ago, on Aug 8, the Olympic flag was raised in China for the first time as the 2008 Beijing Summer Games got under way. Since then, the country has seen a huge growth in the number of people involved in sporting activities, as the legacy of the event lives on.

The Organizing Committee for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was established on Dec 13, 2001. An item from July 16, 2001, in China Daily shows that Beijing residents were at that moment ready to share the happiness and the spirit of the Olympics with the rest of the world.

A row of 29 fireworks representing the 29th edition of the modern Olympics were set off to mark the start of the Beijing Games.

The breathtaking opening ceremony was regarded as one of the most magnificent as it celebrated 5,000 years of Chinese culture.

During the event in China’s capital, 43 world and 132 Olympic records were set, with 87 different countries and regions winning medals. The 2008 Olympics left a massive legacy.

Based on the remarkable success of the 2008 Olympics, Beijing has ramped up efforts to host “a fantastic, extraordinary and excellent” 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

It also aims to promote world peace and development as well as the development of sports in China.

With the upcoming 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the city is set to use 11 venues and stadiums that were also used 10 years ago, according to China Global Television Network.

Beijing will become the first city to host both versions of the Olympics, with the legacy of the Summer Olympics sure to continue and inspire the organizers of the upcoming winter games.