Chinese President Xi Jinping encourages children attending skiing winter camps at Genting Ski Resort as he inspects preparatory work for Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 23, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Tao)
President Xi Jinping ordered relevant departments and local governments to ensure high-quality preparation for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games to make it a "remarkable, extraordinary, excellent" event.
Xi made the remarks while inspecting preparation for the games in Zhangjiakou city, Hebei Province, Monday.
The Zhangjiakou site of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Chongli District is the best natural ski area in northern China, and Xi was briefed about the ongoing work at an exhibition hall.
He stressed that the general plan for the games should be prioritized.
The president said Zhangjiakou's plans should be integrated into the wider plans for the games, adding that all plans should abide by the principle of conserving resources and using funds effectively.
He said that projects in the games should be managed under the principle of sharing, openness, cleanness and being eco-friendly.
"The construction of sports facilities must be professional, and supporting facilities should embody the characteristics of China and the local areas," Xi said.
He said that energy saving and environmental standards should be carried out in a strict manner to protect heritage and bring symbolic effects for the cities.
Xi pointed out that Hebei and Zhangjiakou had a historic opportunity to promote their own development.
At Genting ski venue, skiers and tourists saluted the president, and Xi told them to have fun, wishing them a happy Chinese New Year.
On learning that the venue was funded and constructed by Genting Group from Malaysia, he expressed gratitude to them for their contribution to the games
He said he hoped that Genting would be conscientious and ensure quality facilities.
Meeting a group of children attending a winter camp, he encouraged them to study hard and be bold, but also to be careful when they practiced their skiing.
Xi also visited national ski-team athletes, saying the country would provide all they needed for training and competition.
The president expressed his hope that the national team would train hard, enhance their technical skills and win glory for the country.
