PARIS: China is willing to deepen and expand high-level cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the country hosts the Asian Winter Games next year, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said here on Saturday.
Han, who is also a special representative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, said this during a meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach.
Han conveyed President Xi Jinping’s warm greetings to Bach and congratulated the IOC on the success of the magnificent opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Olympic movement aims to protect world peace and promote the unity of mankind, Han said, adding that the Paris Olympics are of great importance given the need to further promote Olympism under the current international situation.
He emphasized that China has always firmly supported the development of the international Olympic movement and maintains long-term good relations with the IOC.
President Bach asked Han to express his sincere greetings to Xi Jinping and warmly welcomed Han’s participation in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics as Xi Jinping’s special representative.
The cause of the international Olympic Games is fundamentally based on multilateralism, Bach said.
China has always supported the cause of the international Olympic Games, he said, adding that the success of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic has set an example for countries around the world on how to successfully host the Olympics.
Bach said that the IOC is willing to continue working closely with China to successfully organize various international sports events and spread the values of Olympism.
