By Nong Rong
(Chinese Ambassador)
On February 4, when 1.4 billion Chinese people celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival, the main torch of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games will be lit in the “Bird’s Nest”, and Beijing will be the first city ever to host both summer and winter Olympic Games.
President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address that “We will spare no effort to present a great Games to the world.” China is ready to deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid Winter Olympic Games to the world, ensure all participants feel spring-like warmth and providing more solidarity, confidence and strength to the world.
The Beijing Winter Olympic Games will also be distinguished for its Green features. For the first time in Olympic history, all venues in the competition zones are powered 100% by green energy. And as first ever in Winter Olympic history, ice-making will use carbon dioxide as a refrigerant, cutting carbon emissions to nearly zero. Most of the Winter Olympic Games venues are renovated from the existing venues and facilities of the 2008 Summer Olympics Games, coordinating the needs of the games and post-games use. We are confident that the Beijing Winter Olympic Games will be a carbon-neutral event.
China highly appreciates Pakistan’s strong support and sincere wishes to China in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics. We warmly welcome Prime Minister Imran Khan to come to China to attend the opening ceremony. Prime Minister Imran Khan recently told Chinese media that this will be the first Olympics he will witness, and that he is looking forward to experiencing an exciting global event in Beijing. President Dr. Arif Alvi laughed happily when he received the mascot, and said that the Beijing Winter Olympic Games will be “very successful” and Pakistan will participate in the splendid sports event with passion and joy. We wish the Pakistani sports delegation good luck, to excel himself in the Games, and look forward to seeing the Pakistani flag fly high again in the “Bird’s Nest”!
Last year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan. The two sides held more than 140 activities in celebration and commemoration of this important occasion, which all attached high popularity. Be it the exchange of congratulatory messages between the two countries’ leaders, high-profile receptions or activities such as the signing of friendship deals between provinces and cities, a youth video contest and exchanges covering a wide range of areas including the political, diplomatic, economic, sub-national, education, scientific, cultural and health sectors. The celebrations held virtually or in-person, deepened political mutual trust, strengthened the two peoples’ friendship and promoted practical cooperation in various sectors despite COVID-19 restrictions. During the past 7 decades since the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic ties, no matter how the international situation may change, the two sides have always stood side by side in weal and woe. China and Pakistan have worked together to tackle risks and challenges such as COVID-19, consolidating strategic mutual trust and deepening strategic cooperation. History has fully proved that the two countries are the most reliable iron-clad brothers for each other.
Just as President Xi Jinping said on the phone conversation with Prime Minister Imran Khan, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with more sources of turbulence and risks around the world. Under the new circumstances, the two countries should stand together even more firmly and push forward the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. Nowadays, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has entered a new stage of high-quality development, and the cooperation between our two sides will have even greater potential.
China supports Pakistan in exploring a development path suited to its own national conditions and is willing to share China’s high-quality development opportunities with Pakistan, and contribute to Pakistan’s industrialization, urbanization and digitization. China will continue to support Pakistan in its fight against COVID-19, jointly build the CPEC with high quality and strengthen cooperation in such fields as agriculture, digital economy and people’s livelihood. We will continue to unleash the positive effects of the CPEC in promoting growth and improving people’s well-being. China is ready to work with Pakistan to enhance multilateral coordination, practice true multilateralism and promote international fairness and justice, to safeguard the common interests of the two countries and maintain world peace and stability. We look forward to the meetings between the leaders of the two countries during Beijing Winter Olympics, which will surely further draw a brighter future for China-Pakistan relations.
Let us join hands to welcome the Beijing Winter Olympics under the guidance of the Olympic Motto of“Faster, Higher, Stronger—Together”, and strive for greater progress in our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. China and Pakistan, together for a shared future!
