Beijing 2022 was an unqualified success

China has notched multiple achievements as it ensured smooth and safe Games despite challenges

The Beijing Winter

Over the past year, the US and some of its closest allies have by hook or by crook tried to stir up a manufactured human rights issue in relation to China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and use it as a pretext for diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Now with the curtain having descended on the Games and China winning worldwide acclaim for the success of the event, Washington’s attempt to sabotage Beijing 2022 is viewed in hindsight with contempt and intense odium.

Participants have heaped praise on just about every aspect of the Games —from the incomparable competition facilities and venues to accommodation for the athletes, and the stand-by medical service at all hours. With the attendance of 170 dignitaries from 70 countries, including more than 30 heads of state and members of royal families, and the participation of 2,877 athletes from 91 countries, the positive verdict was unanimous.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach hailed the Beijing 2022 Winter Games as an unqualified success and said that it has earned high praise from participating athletes and officials alike from around the world. According to the IOC, its social media accounts on all platforms have received over 2.7 billion visits for Beijing 2022, setting a new record for Winter Olympics. The Beijing Games itself notched 17 Olympic records, two of which are also world records.

Indeed, nothing can be more convincing than the congratulatory remarks from Susanne Lyons, chair of the US Olympic Committee’s board of directors and the head of Team USA, on China’s success in hosting the Games. She also conveyed the American athletes’ positive feedback, despite their government’s diplomatic boycott of the event

In summary, China registered at least four significant achievements in hosting the Games. First, it demonstrated excellent management. As the Games clashed head-on with the COVID-19 pandemic, the closed-loop management has kept everyone safe under very challenging circumstances, with the fast-spreading Omicron variant kept at bay.

The virus threat was averted as the innovative closed-loop system minimized contacts among participants and with the outside world. Under the rigorously enforced system, all participants, including athletes, officials and media members were required to move only between their training, competition and work venues and designated accommodation facilities via official transport services to separate them from the local communities.

Its effectiveness was almost immediate, as within the loop, which covered over 14,000 participants, the number of confirmed daily COVID-19 cases quickly dropped to zero. As Bach said, “It was one of the safest places on the planet, if not the safest place, and this is a great achievement.”

This can be attributed to the amazing teamwork behind the scenes, with staff working diligently and tirelessly to ensure efficiency in logistics, catering, hotel services and cleaning. The 19,000 volunteers and the emergency medical staff have all won the hearts and admiration of both foreign athletes and officials for their courtesy and professionalism.

Second, the event saw a proud display of China’s technological advances, covering artificial intelligence, facial recognition technology, simulation technology, smart venues, the new paradigm of 5G network application, reduced carbon emissions, green electricity technology, carbon dioxide ice making technology, smart transportation technology, and cutting-edge venues that helped athletes in achieving their optimum performance.

Among the most impressive displays were the high-definition LED floor at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, AI selfservice restaurants, hydrogen fuel buses and even a Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic which provided acupuncture therapy to relieve athletes’ muscle pain. They proved to be eye openers to many foreign participants. Most importantly, many of these breakthrough technologies will be incorporated into ordinary people’s daily lives before long.

Third, the record-breaking successes of Chinese athletes in garnering 15 medals, including 9 gold, and placing third in the overall rankings, was particularly impressive considering that most of the winter sports were totally unknown in the mainland barely twenty years ago. It was an impressive display of what Chinese athletes are capable of achieving through sheer will power and hard work despite lack of experience.

Fourth, there was the crossnational friendship being spread by the Chinese athletes. There were many heartwarming stories behind the scenes, with competitors hugging each other while offering their rivals heartfelt encouragement and warm congratulations.

The interaction between Chinese mixed double curlers Ling Zhi and Fan Suyuan and their US opponents Christopher Plys and Vicky Persinger after a game when they exchanged gifts to show friendship and mutual respect was among the memorable moments of Beijing 2022, cementing the athletes’ unplanned ambassadorial roles.

As pointed out by Bach, “All these showed that the Olympic Games and the Olympic athletes are really beyond the divisive issues we are facing in the world now and the high tensions we are going through on the political side.”

The IOC chief further noted, at the closing ceremony, that the “unifying power of the Olympic Games is stronger than the forces that want to divide us. May the political leaders around the world be inspired by your example of solidarity and peace”.

For China, the Beijing Winter Olympics will open up a cornucopia of winter sports options in the country and should enhance economic development of the nation’s northern provinces such as Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia. As President Xi Jinping said during a meeting with Bach, “I don’t particularly care how many gold medals Chinese athletes win this time, I care more about the motivation and vitality it will inject into us in the future.”

Olympics will open

up a cornucopia

of winter sports

options in China

and should

enhance economic

development of the

nation’s northern

provinces.