2022 Winter Olympics: Beijing launches 1000 day countdown in grand fashion

BEIJING: China Friday kicked off  its 1,000-day countdown to the 2022 Winter Olympics with grand celebration, as Beijing prepares to become the only city in the world to have hosted both a Summer and Winter Games.

Actor Jackie Chan's appearance added to the celebration as he along with Olympic gold medallist Wu Dajing, para snowboarder Pang Qiaorong and International Olympic Committee Vice-Presidents Juan Antonio Samaranch and Yu Zaiqing joined Cai Qi, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and President of Beijing 2022, at Linglong Tower to unveil a large screen that started counting down to the Olympic Winter Games.

The screen spans from the fourth to the seventh floor of Linglong Tower, which served as a broadcasting facility for Beijing 2008 and will again for Beijing 2022.

With the eyes of the world now firmly on China as the next host of the Olympic Winter Games, Beijing 2022 has made strong progress in its preparations, especially in the role that it is playing in China’s ambitious plans to engage 300 million people with winter sports.

During the ceremony, renowned Chinese singers performed for the audience with kindergarten children and school and university students, as well as dancers from the Chinese Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe.

Ski resorts have multiplied in the country since Beijing won its bid for the Winter Olympics in 2015, with major promotional campaigns helping to attract particularly young and middle class Chinese fans.

In addition, the construction of new Olympic facilities is also underway, with an alpine ski complex due to be completed before the end of the year, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Sporting competitions, performances, art exhibitions, volunteering drives, a photo contest, a flash mob and a marathon — have been planned for the weekend of 11-12 May to celebrate the 1,000-day countdown in different cities of China.