Wang Anshun (C), President of the Beijing 2022 bid committee and Mayor of Beijing, addresses to the media after the briefing for International Olympic Committee (IOC) members by the 2022 Winter Olympic Games candidate city of Beijing at the IOC Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on June 9, 2015. (Xinhua/Zhou Lei)
Beijing would be the safest option to host the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, mayor Wang Anshun told the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland on Tuesday.
"It would be the safest decision for the International Olypic Committee (IOC) to choose Beijing, which is the most reliable partner for all stakeholders," Wang said.
On Tuesday morning, candidate cities of Almaty, Kazakhstan and Beijing, China respectively presented their bidding projects to the IOC members in Lausanne, bidding to host the 2022 winter sports gala.
Illustrating the legacy of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Wang told the IOC members that the city of Beijing has fully embraced the Olympic spirit and "experience it every day".
"With strong public support, government guarantee, sound natural conditions, comprehensive experience in Games organization and your guidance, we are confident that all potential risks could be effectively managed," he added.
According to the mayor, Beijing has established an Olympic City Development Association and a fund after the 2008 Games. The average use of the 2008 venues, however, exceeds 85 percent annually.
Wang also emphasized that in the past few years, more than half of Beijing's population participated in sports and 2.6 million registered volunteers played active roles to enhance city development as well as quality of people's lives.
As to the smog issue, one of the major concerns from the media, mayor Wang explained that Beijing has invested 130 billion U.S. dollars in a five-year comprehensive clean air action plan since 2013.
"It would be a beautiful natural environment with blue sky that greets the visitors in Beijing by 2022.
"We are confident about that," he said.
Earlier this month, the IOC evaluation commission released its comprehensive assessment report on the two bidding cities, saying that the experience of hosting the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2014 Youth Olympic Games would benefit a 2022 Beijing Games across many operational areas.
