Sydney, March 24 (People's Daily Online) -- Long Dingbin, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Perth, recently published a signed article entitled "Unity under the Olympic Spirit" on the consulate's website, the full text of which is as follows:
Long Dingbin, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Perth (Photo courtesy of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Perth)
After more than six years of preparation and nearly 30 days of exciting competition, the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games came to a successful conclusion, not only successfully demonstrating to the world a more confident, self-reliant, open and inclusive China, but also making important contributions to the development of the Olympic Movement. China has sent an unprecedented delegation to participate in the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, conscientiously fulfilled its solemn commitments to the international community, and ensured the smooth opening of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games as scheduled. About 170 official representatives of nearly 70 countries and international organizations attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, demonstrating their support for China with practical actions.
The professional and fair competition environment of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games has left a deep impression on the world, and effective epidemic prevention measures have provided a successful paradigm for holding major international events in the future, and the green, low-carbon and sustainable use of the Olympic model has left a rich legacy of the Winter Olympics. China has fulfilled its commitments and presented a simple, safe and wonderful Olympic event to the world, and Beijing has historically become the world's first "double Olympic city".
At the Beijing Winter Olympics, nearly 3,000 ice and snow athletes from 91 countries and regions worked hard, challenged the limits and surpassed themselves, breaking 2 world records and 17 Winter Olympic records. 564 paralympic athletes from 46 countries participated in the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games, with a record number of female athletes. At the Olympic Games, athletes demonstrated the best qualities of humanity, and their shining concept of human values is indispensable for building a peaceful and inclusive world. Among the participants in the Beijing Winter Olympics was a 16-year-old Australian snowboarding men's U-shaped track skill athlete Valentino Guselli, the youngest of the Australian delegation, who soared 7 meters high in the competition but still calmly, which was really refreshing. The athletes of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, whether they are fledgling newcomers or battle-hardened veterans, have perfectly interpreted the Olympic motto of "faster, higher, stronger – more united", bringing hope and warmth to a world that has not yet emerged from the COVID-19 epidemic and faces other serious challenges.
American freestyle skier Aaron Bronck said at a press conference that the epidemic prevention and control work at the Beijing Winter Olympics is excellent. China has handed over a satisfactory answer sheet for epidemic prevention and control to the athletes and participants of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The fully enclosed management system ensures a low infection rate during the event, confirming the effectiveness and flexibility of China's "dynamic zero clearance" prevention and control policy. During the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games, China used many high-tech means, such as using a bioaerosol nucleic acid detection system to monitor venues and using "body temperature stickers" to read body temperature in real time.
Brian McLoughski, chief expert of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Medical Expert Group, made it clear that all prevention and control measures have a scientific basis, and that Beijing is the safest place in the world during the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. During the event, some more relaxed prevention and control measures were adopted in the fully enclosed environment, such as reducing the CT limit value of positive viral nucleic acid from 40 to 35, making it easier for athletes to obtain negative test results. These practices have yielded good results, and epidemiologists believe that the relevant measures provide a useful first-mover experience for China to further liberalize border control after the epidemic eases.
Throughout the preparation process of the Beijing Winter Olympic games and the Winter Paralympic Games, the concept of "green, shared, open and clean" runs through the whole process. The Beijing Winter Olympics is the first Olympic event to use renewable energy power in all venues, mainly from Zhangjiakou City in Hebei Province, which is around Beijing. Zhangjiakou is rich in wind and solar energy resources, growing into a renewable energy center in northern China, and the installed capacity of renewable energy generation is expected to reach 50 million kilowatts in 2030, providing clean energy for the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. China has set a national target of 1.2 billion kilowatts of total installed wind and solar power capacity by 2030, and will gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels and strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
In the process of preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympic games and the Winter Paralympic Games, the Chinese government has vigorously promoted winter sports for ordinary Chinese people, and has achieved the expected goal of "driving 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports", making new contributions to the cause of the world Olympics. As IOC President Bach said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, "China has become a country of ice and snow sports" and "the Beijing Winter Olympics have opened a new era of ice and snow sports in the world, raising global participation to a new level and benefiting Chinese and ice and snow sports enthusiasts around the world".
China has achieved its desired goal of "bringing 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports" (Photo courtesy of the Chinese Consulate General in Perth)
Since ancient times, the Olympic Movement has carried the pursuit of peace, solidarity and progress for all mankind. More than 2,800 years ago, people held the Olympic Games to end the war and work together to prevent the spread of disease. In recent years, the IOC has played an important and unique role in strengthening global solidarity and cooperation by promoting the Olympic Movement's courageous and resolute advancement. The Olympic Movement brings together people from different countries, regions, nationalities and cultures, deepens mutual understanding and friendship among them, and makes important contributions to the noble cause of promoting peace and development of mankind.
Today's world, facing the double impact of the unprecedented changes in a century and the epidemic of the century, is entering a new period of turbulent transformation. 2022 is still full of challenges, the COVID-19 epidemic is still raging, the crisis in Ukraine is coming, and the already uncertain international situation has become more complex and turbulent. At such an important juncture, what countries need is unity rather than division, dialogue rather than confrontation.
The Beijing Winter Olympics provide an important opportunity for countries around the world to transcend geopolitics and promote global solidarity, peace and human creativity. The successful hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is not only a victory for sports, but also a victory for unity. The Winter Olympics coincided with the raging of the Olmiquerong strain, the heating up of regional hotspot issues, and political interference and sabotage. But we are encouraged that most countries and peoples have chosen to unite under the Olympic spirit, injecting hope into those deeply affected by the pandemic and bringing confidence to a turbulent world.
Now, the main olympic torch "big snowflake" has been extinguished, and the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have brought a message of spring to the northern hemisphere.
2022 is not only the year of the Olympic Games, but also the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972, China and Australia have had close exchanges and close cooperation in various fields, bringing tangible benefits to the people of the two countries and making positive contributions to the development, prosperity and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. Despite the practical differences between the two countries, we must bear in mind that the common interests and mutual needs of China and Australia will always dominate.
The theme slogan of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is "Together to the Future". China is willing to work with all peace-loving and progress-seeking countries, including Australia, to strengthen unity and cooperation, work together to meet challenges, continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and work together for a brighter and better future.