Beijing's Winter Olympics bid enjoys unprecedented support

International Olympic Committee (IOC) evaluation commission are set to receive a heart-felt welcome when they visit Beijing with over 90 percent of support rate on the city's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

According to the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee, the average domestic support rate has reached 94.8 percent. For Beijing, which bids to become the first city hosting both Summer and Winter Olympics, the rate is around 91 percent. For Zhangjiakou, the co-host city for most snow events and about 200km northwest of Beijing, the ratio is 99.9.

Such a high rate, together with sustained social stability, rapid economic growth and rich experience obtained from past events, could ensure China to live up to every commitment she has made.

So far, Beijing and Kazakhstan's Almaty are the only two candidates left. But there were once other runners in the race, such as Poland's Krakow, Ukraine's Lviv, Sweden's Stockholm and Norway's Oslo.

Krakow's bid was submitted to a local referendum held in May 2014, which had a negative result. After that Krakow discontinued the application.

Lviv's bid went abortive as a result of the political and economical instability in Ukraine.

Stockholm dropped its bid in January 2014 due to lack of political support.

Oslo decided to immediately terminate further work on the application in October 2014 when Norway's Conservative Party announced that they would not support the bid.

In China, things are different. From top leaders to ordinary people, the whole nation enthusiastically support the joint bid of Beijing and Zhangjiakou for the Games.

They believe that the Olympic Movement brings them not only sports fun and healthy lifestyle, but also job opportunities, improved living conditions, better quality of life, and regional development in the long run.

In his letters to the IOC, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, "As President of the People's Republic of China, I would like to solemnly pledge to you my full support of Beijing's bid for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games."

'Olympic Blue' is coming

'Olympic Blue', derived from the coined phrase 'APEC Blue', refers to fresh air and clear days that may come with the Olympics.