On February 15, H.E. Ambassador Qian Bo published a signed article entitled Carrying Forward Olympic Spirit, Together for a Shared Future on the Fiji Sun. The full text of the article is as follows:

The evening of February 4, 2022 featured a dream of ice and snow and a vision of “together for a shared future”, as the opening ceremony of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 in China’s National Stadium Bird Nest attracted worldwide attention. Beijing became the first ever Dual Olympic City in the world. The Chinese civilization and the Olympic Movement join hands once again, highlighting solidarity, peace and friendship for all humanity.

Nearly 3,000 athletes from 91 countries and regions are gathering for Beijing Winter Olympics. About 170 official representatives (government representatives at the vice-ministerial level or above) from nearly 70 countries and international organizations, including 31 heads of state and government, important members of the royal families and heads of international organizations, have traveled long journeys to China for the great event and cheered for the winter sport athletes.

——Gather again for peace, solidarity and progress

As the Olympic flame was lit once again, we shall keep in mind the original aspiration of the Olympic Movement, jointly promote exchanges between civilizations and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

I have seen many touching moments since the games kicked off. A 49-year-old German athlete, the first woman to compete in eight Olympic Games, said that “my legs are old but my heart is still young”. An American snowboarder athlete was deeply moved by heartfelt greeting from Chinese Olympic volunteer at the opening ceremony. A Tonga athlete conveyed his best wishes to all Olympians as he could not attend the Beijing Winter Olympics because of another task: to rebuild his homeland after the Tongan volcano eruption. All these touching moments and stories are shining brightly with the Olympic spirit.

——A Green, inclusive, open and clean Games

By making every effort to address the impact of COVID-19, China ensured the on time opening of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games and fulfilled its pledge to the world. China has popularized winter sport among the ordinary people, achieved the goal of engaging 300 million Chinese in sport on snow and ice, and made new contributions to the Olympic Cause worldwide.

Beijing has made valuable innovations and breakthrough with all venues powered by renewable energy for the first time in Olympic history. Environment-friendly refrigerants and carbon dioxide ice-making technology are used at ice venues increasing ice-making efficiency by about 30 percent and cutting emissions to nearly zero. Energy-saving and clean-energy vehicles account for 100 percent of all passenger cars.

Many athletes shared their tour of the Beijing Olympic Village through social media, speaking highly of the room facilities especially the “zero-gravity” bed that can help them improve blood circulation and accelerate recovery from a hard training course, and showing their love with the variety and taste of the food, cooked and served by robots at the canteens and restaurants.

——Carrying forward the Olympic spirit, together for a shared future

The notion of “together” championed by the Olympic Movement is needed more than ever. As the Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out, instead of riding separately in some 190 small boats, countries around the world should stay together in one giant vessel and sail toward a brighter future. China is doing its best to pursue this Olympic Motto.

President Thomas Bach of the International Olympic Committee and UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that the Chinese people are well known for their efficiency, determination and vitality, which has been proved by fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and hosting successful Olympic Games, hope the international community will take the Beijing 2022 as an opportunity to transcend differences and work together to build a better future.

——China and Pacific island countries sharing weal and woe

Although the presence of PICs in the Beijing 2022 is not big, the upholding of the Olympic Spirit is never less. The partnership between China and PICs has developed rapidly and steadily in recent years, setting a good example of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between countries in different regions, of different size, and with different cultures.

Last October, China and PICs launched a new mechanism of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and had the first one with success. Concrete measures were taken to build up PICs’ capacity of tackling challenges of climate change, public health events and poverty alleviation. The China-PICs Reserve of Emergency Supplies went into operation in Guangzhou, China and swiftly provided emergency assistance to Tonga after the volcanic eruption which occurred last month. As the COVID-19 situation worsened in some island countries recently, China mobilized every means to send a large number of medical supplies and vaccines to meet their urgent needs.

China and PICs are genuine friends. I am fully confident that no matter how the international situation changes, we will firmly safeguard the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, which are the basic norms of international relations, and work together to pursue peace, development and prosperity in the blue Pacific, serving the fundamental interests of our two sides.

Today is the Lantern Festival which marks the final day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. On this auspicious occasion, I wish all our Fijian friends and the Chinese community in Fiji happiness, health and prosperity.

Xie Xie. Vinaka vakalevu.