Winter Olympics effect makes joint bidder a winner

Beijing will have to wait another five months to learn if its efforts to win the 2022 Winter Olympics are successful, but a leading official says the bid process has already boosted interest in snow and ice sports.

The capital is bidding jointly with the ski resort city of Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, to host the event. The other candidate city is Almaty in Kazakhstan, and the winner will be announced on July 31.

"In the past, people would greet each other by asking the question, 'did you eat?'. Now when you go to the office on Monday morning, your friend asks you, 'did you ski?'.

"So Zhangjiakou has already won, Olympics or not," said Wang Hui, director of Beijing municipality's information office and chief of the publicity department of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee.

Wang said Beijing and Zhangjiakou are bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympics for three reasons.

"First, people want to have winter fun; second, Beijing and Zhangjiakou are capable of hosting the Games; and third, Beijing had a recent Olympic success with the 2008 Games."

Wang was speaking in Los Angeles during her visit to attend the Happy Chinese New Year - Beijing Culture Month celebration in next-door Beverly Hills.

She said China's Olympic story has been linked to Los Angeles for more than 80 years.

"Los Angeles remains our place of good fortune and Olympic friendship," she said.

"China remembers the years 1932, 1984 and 2008, when China realized its Olympic dreams either in Los Angeles or with Los Angeles.

"This is the city where China's first Olympic athlete, Liu Changchun, participated in the Games in 1932. This is the city where China's first big team competed in the 1984 Games. This is the place where China's Olympic team marched in the Parade of Roses in Pasadena when Beijing hosted the 2008 Olympic Games."

The Charming Beijing, Passionate Winter Olympics photo exhibition that opened in Beverly Hills on Sunday is intended to support the bid by showing US citizens how international photographers view Beijing.

Wang has been struck by the way US photographers portray the beauty of Beijing in different ways from Chinese photographers.

"People riding bicycles on the street or playing Chinese chess in the park may seem ordinary to us, but are attractive to Western eyes."

Wang said Beijing's bid is promoting the idea of "making sportsmanship, sustainability and frugality core values".

The city has pledged to use some of the facilities built for the 2008 Olympics, and this will greatly reduce the cost.

"Beijing, as the host city for the 2008 Summer Olympics, already has an advantage in venue and transportation infrastructure. Sustainability is a significant aspect that the International Olympic Committee will consider."

If the bid is successful, Beijing will become the first city to host both the Summer and the Winter Games.

"The success of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has spread Olympic values," said Wang. "Beijing is prepared to make a contribution a second time."