On June 8, Winter Olympic champion Gu Ailing revealed at the TIME100 summit that she will serve as an ambassador for salt lake city bids for the 2030 or 2034 Winter Olympics. Gu Ailing also said: "I have never regretted choosing to represent China! ”
Gu Ailing's remarks have sparked intense discussion in China. The 18-year-old mixed-race girl is once again pushed to the cusp.
This is not the first time that Chinese athletes have helped to bid for the Olympic Games overseas. Ding Junhui served as an ambassador for London's bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics; Chen Lu and Shen Xue/Zhao Hongbo also served as ambassadors for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and Pyeongchang, South Korea, respectively.
For Gu Ailing's appointment as the US Ambassador for the Olympic Bid in Salt Lake City, veteran commentator Hu Xijin also has something to say.
Hu Xijin believes that Gu Ailing's appointment as the U.S. Ambassador for the Olympic Bid in Salt Lake City is not worth the fuss. "Time magazine still calls her 'China's Gu Ailing' when it reports on this, is it necessary for us to be overly sensitive in turn?"
Hu Xijin said that from the perspective of the usual logic of celebrities, Gu Ailing should not deny the definition of identity during the Beijing Winter Olympics, but let the past definition be extended.
"In view of Gu Ailing's special status, we should tolerate that she has more international and global symbols than ordinary people." We can't be highly sensitive to any 'American elements' in her words and deeds because she represented China, and we were even shocked. Hu Xijin said.
"Chinese there is no need to regret giving her that opportunity (referring to representing China in the Winter Olympics), it was a very pleasant memory, and the effect at that time was very good."
Hu Xijin believes that Gu Ailing is a cross-cultural sports elite, she embraces globalization, hoping that her identity will be comfortable because of globalization; However, the current tension in China has greatly increased the difficulty of Gu Ailing's ability to shuttle between China and the United States and play an active communication role, and she must be able to deal with the complexity.
Finally, Hu Xijin said: "We may as well encourage Gu Ailing to be a cultural communicator between China and the United States." Through her, the emotions of Chinese and American society are brought closer as much as possible, and she is not allowed to become a symbol of Sino-US opposition. ”