Author: Jin Yongjian Source: "Diplomats Say Things"
About the Author
Jin Yongjian was born in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province in September 1934; In 1950, he entered the Beijing Foreign Chinese School to study English. After graduating in 1954, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, first worked in the Chinese Society of People's Diplomacy, and then engaged in African work for many years; In 1977, he was transferred to New York as Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations. He served as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1996 to 2001, the fifth Under-Secretary-General of China after it resumed its lawful seat in the United Nations in 1971.
On July 13, 2001, a day of excitement and pride for the whole Chinese, at 22:10 Beijing time, IOC President Samaranch announced at the Moscow World Trade Center that the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games - Beijing. The Chinese's dream of the Olympic Century has finally come true!
On July 13, 2001, Beijing time, Samaranch announced in Moscow that Beijing had won the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games. The picture shows Chairman Samaranch announcing the results of the vote.
Far across the ocean, in the United Nations Headquarters building in New York, the Chinese staff were thrilled to hear the good news. They rushed to tell each other and congratulated each other on the phone.
Photograph of the author's work during his tenure as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
As soon as I got to work as the Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly Affairs of the United Nations, I was surrounded by a festive atmosphere (the time difference between Beijing and New York was 12 hours, and the bid was successful in New York's morning work hours), and the phone rang non-stop, and officials from various countries came to my office to congratulate me. In particular, officials from developing countries excitedly hugged and shook hands with me, expressing their heartfelt satisfaction and admiration for China's achievements.
An official from an African country with whom I have a lot of contacts excitedly said to me: "This is the choice of history. Our Asian, African and Latin American countries ushered in a day of exaltation on the Olympic stage! ”
The excitement calmed down a little, and my mind went back to 8 years ago. On the evening of 3 May 1993, as the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva, accompanied by Counsellor Gu Keping, I went to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, to meet Mr. Samaranch.
Lausanne is a city in southwestern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.
Lausanne is surrounded by mountains and lakes, with picturesque scenery, and is famous as the "International Cultural City" and "Olympic City".
The headquarters of the Olympic Committee takes advantage of its geographical location to take advantage of the beauty of the park on the shores of Lake Geneva.
The Olympic Headquarters is a small three-storey building that occupies a small area, but it is simple and elegant, with lush trees and flowers, and is in harmony with nature.
In May 1993, the author went to Lausanne, Switzerland, to meet with IOC President Samaranch.
Walking into the office, Mr. Samaranch greeted us warmly, and after a few pleasantries, we got to business. On that occasion, I had a heavy responsibility to discuss with the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about the mainland's bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games.
I briefly described the long and tortuous process of the introduction and development of the modern Olympic movement to China, and it was not until 1979 that it was able to return to the Olympic family. Holding an Olympic Games in China has always been the dream of the Chinese people.
I then reiterated the position of the Government of the Continental Continent in its consistent support for the Olympic Movement, stressing that the Olympic Movement has made great contributions to enhancing friendship and solidarity among peoples, promoting world peace and mutual understanding among peoples. China is actively bidding to host the 2000 Olympic Games and hopes to have the support of the International Olympic Committee and Mr. Samaranch himself.
Mr. Samaranch said: In recent years, China has actively participated in the international Olympic cause, continuously improved its level, made achievements that have attracted worldwide attention, and made positive contributions to the development of the Olympic Games. He was particularly pleased that the spirit of the Olympic Movement – to educate young people through sports activities of mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity and fair play – thereby contributing to the building of a peaceful and better world – had been widely promoted in China. He expressed the hope that China will continue to support the Olympic cause and achieve greater achievements. Finally, he held my hand tightly and said, "I wish China success in its bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games." ”
Unexpectedly, since that meeting, I, who had always cared little about or cared about the Olympic Movement, began to devote special enthusiasm and interest to the affairs of the Olympic Games.
In 1993, China's dream of bidding for the Olympics for the first time was shattered. The picture shows the lost Chinese delegation.
However, due to various reasons, Beijing's first bid did not go smoothly. On September 24, 1993, Beijing lost the election by two votes, and Sydney became the host city of the 2000 Summer Olympics, and we lost an opportunity to show the world. But we are not discouraged.
I vividly remember that on the first day of the Sydney Olympic Games, President Jiang Zemin sent a letter to Samaranch, clearly reiterating China's support for the Olympic spirit and calling on all parties in conflict around the world to support Samaranch's proposal for a sacred Olympic truce, which reflects China's understanding and pursuit of the Olympic spirit.
Since then, China has taken a more open attitude to demonstrate to the world the strength of a great power and embarked on the journey of bidding for the Olympic Games again. Despite the formidable challenges, we were able to win the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games with a high level of work.
After the successful bid for the Olympic Games, the people of Beijing, together with the people of all ethnic groups throughout the country, including compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, expressed their feelings for the Olympics in their own unique ways and greeted the arrival of the solemn, sacred, cheerful, and enthusiastic Beijing Olympics with great enthusiasm. The preparations for the Olympic Games are being carried out in an intense and orderly manner. As a member of the Beijing Citizen and have many years of experience in diplomatic work, I am deeply touched by this. I expressed to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games that I am willing to undertake the task of lecturing in terms of professional and quality training of volunteers and in introducing international knowledge, so as to make a modest contribution to the 2008 Olympic Games and draw a successful conclusion to the bid for the Olympic Games that I expressed to Savon in Lausanne that year.
[Source: "Witness the Olympics" (published in 2007)
Author: Jin Yongjian
Editor: "Diplomats Say Things" Fengfeng]