BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday delivered a speech at a grand gathering to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
In his speech, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, hailed the Winter Games as a success that would "go down in history," calling on the country to carry forward the spirit of the Winter Games to gather momentum for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The following are some highlights of his remarks:
-- By overcoming various difficulties, the Chinese people, along with people from around the world, have once again presented the Games that will go down in history and together shared the glory of Olympics.
-- The preparation and hosting of the Games have pushed forward the leap-frog development of China's ice and snow sports, which have extended from the Northeast to cover people across the country. A new era of ice and snow sports in China and the world at large has unfolded.
-- China's COVID response policy has once again withstood the test, contributing useful experience for the world to fight against the virus and host major international events.
-- The success of the Games has prompted exchanges between cultures, and played a key role in promoting solidarity, cooperation and joint efforts to overcome difficulties globally. It has also brought confidence and hope to a world overshadowed by instability, and sent the world a message of our times -- Together for a Shared Future.
-- With concrete actions, our athletes and coaches also fulfilled the requirements of winning the competition in sports ethics, sportsmanship and integrity. They demonstrated the Olympic spirit and China's sporting spirit, achieved successes in both sports competition and sports ethics, and got a lot of credit for the Party and the people.
-- The Games are grand events that feature peace, friendship, unity and cooperation and inspire the world.
-- The participants in the Games cherished the opportunity presented by the great era, and in the process of bidding, organizing and hosting the Games, they have created the spirit of bearing in mind the big picture, being confident and open, rising to the challenges, pursuing excellence, and creating a better future together. ■
