Four years ago, President Xi Jinping said at the opening ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, “To cope with common challenges and move towards a better future requires not only economic and technological strength, but also cultural and civilizational strength.”
The 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou is an important opportunity to unite the power of Asian culture and civilization. On September 22, the day before the opening of the Hangzhou Asian Games, President Xi met with many international dignitaries who came to China to attend the opening ceremony. They expressed friendship, discussed the situation, promoted unity and cooperation, and wrote a new chapter of concentrating efforts to build an Asian community with a shared future. .
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Hangzhou Asian Games: Bearing expectations and rising to the forefront
“In Asia, our mountains are like high heads; in Asia, our rivers are like flowing blood…” Many people’s memories of the Asian Games began with this familiar song. In 1990, the Asian Games were held in China for the first time. The song “Asian Glory” sang the heroic aspirations of the Asian people.
△The main venue of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou – Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Fan Kai)
33 years later, on the banks of the West Lake, the Asian Games came to the misty south of the Yangtze River – Zhejiang. This is the third time that my country has hosted the highest-level comprehensive sports event in Asia, following the 1990 Beijing Asian Games and the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.
The Hangzhou Asian Games is also the largest and highest-level international comprehensive sports event held in my country after the victory of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
△Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Wei Bangjun)
The Asian Games are hosted by the member countries of the Olympic Council of Asia in turn and are held every four years.
On September 16, 2015, Hangzhou won the right to host the 19th Asian Games. The Hangzhou Asian Games was originally scheduled to be held in September last year, but due to the impact of the epidemic, it was postponed to September 23 to October 8 this year.
For this Hangzhou Asian Games, all 45 Asian national and regional Olympic committees have signed up to participate. The number of participating athletes, event settings, and overall scale have all reached record highs.
Representative sports from all regions in Asia are included in the current Asian Games, including martial arts (jiu-jitsu, kejiu-jitsu, karate), kabaddi, martial arts, dragon boat, sepak takraw, etc. At this Asian Games, e-sports became an official event of the Asian Games for the first time.
△The Asian Games Village held a welcome ceremony for each delegation, and the team members took photos with the mascots “Lianlian”, “Congcong” and “Chenchen”. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Chen Weikui)
“Heart to Heart, @Future” is the theme slogan of the Hangzhou Asian Games. It not only expresses the good expectations of communication and integration on the Asian Games stage to welcome the future together, but also demonstrates the spirit of unity and forge ahead and bravely setting the trend of this Asian Games. temperament.
△The mascots of the Hangzhou Asian Games are “Chen Chen”, “Cong Cong” and “Lian Lian”. The names are respectively derived from the landmark Gongchen Bridge in the Hangzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the representative cultural relic jade cong unearthed from the ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City, and the endless blue lotus leaves in the West Lake. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Wei Bangjun)
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“The Chinese government and people are full of confidence”
President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games and has made important instructions on many occasions. When he met with foreign leaders, he also talked about the Hangzhou Asian Games many times.
In August 2017, when President Xi met with the then Chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia in Tianjin, he said that we will fully support the preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games and believe that Hangzhou has the ability to host a successful Asian Games.
More than a month ago, President Xi said in a reply to the “U.S.-China Youth Student Exchange Association” and friendly people from all walks of life in Washington State that with the joint efforts of all parties, the “simple, safe and wonderful” Chengdu Universiade was successfully held. “The Chinese government and people are confident that they will host a wonderful Asian Games in Hangzhou.”
△Asian Games elements on the streets of Hangzhou. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Jiang Shuo)
The Hangzhou Asian Games also adheres to the requirements of “simple, safe and exciting” and always adheres to the concept of “green, smart, frugal and civilized”, and will strive to dedicate an event with “Chinese characteristics, Asian style and splendid”. Asian Games event.
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Let’s uphold this “golden rule” together
Major international sports events are often important opportunities for home diplomacy.
When President Xi Jinping comes to Hangzhou this time, he will not only attend the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games, but also hold a welcome banquet and bilateral activities for foreign leaders coming to China to attend the opening ceremony.
On the afternoon of September 22, President Xi held an intensive meeting with four foreign leaders at the West Lake State Guesthouse in Hangzhou, two of whom were leaders of countries in the Middle East and the other two were heads of international sports organizations.
△The venue for the four meetings that afternoon was the West Lake State Guesthouse in Hangzhou. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Zhang Yao)
The two leaders of the Middle East countries are Syrian President Bashar and Kuwait Crown Prince Al-Mishaal.
President Bashar is visiting China again after 19 years. In May 2021, President Xi called Bashar to congratulate him on his re-election as President of Syria.
Syria was one of the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with New China, and was also one of the sponsors of the restoration of New China’s lawful seat in the United Nations that year. In November 2021, the two heads of state had a phone call. Bashar congratulated New China on the 50th anniversary of its restoration of its lawful seat in the United Nations. “This is of great significance to the Chinese people,” he said.
△The Chinese and Syrian flags placed at the meeting site. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Cheng Cheng)
During their meeting on September 22, the two heads of state jointly announced the establishment of a China-Syria strategic partnership. This is an important milestone in the history of relations between the two countries.
The Syrian crisis has lasted for more than ten years, bringing serious disasters to the Syrian people. During this meeting, President Xi pointed out that China supports Syria in opposing external interference and unilateral bullying, safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, supporting Syria in its reconstruction, and strengthening anti-terrorism capacity building, with “Syrian-led, Syrian-led All” principles promote a political solution to the Syrian issue.
Mishal was appointed Crown Prince of Kuwait in October 2020. In December last year, President Xi met with him when he went to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the first China-Arab Summit and the China-Gulf Summit.
Kuwait was the first Gulf Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China and the first Middle Eastern country to sign a cooperation document on the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” with China.
△The Chinese and Kuwaiti national flags placed at the meeting site. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Cao Yaxing)
On the afternoon of September 22, when meeting with Crown Prince Mishal, President Xi said that China supports Kuwait in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity and is willing to work with Kuwait to uphold non-interference in internal affairs, the “golden rule” for developing countries to live and work in peace.
External forces interfering in internal affairs and subverting political power under the banner of so-called “democracy” are the root cause of political turmoil in some developing countries. President Xi regards “non-interference in internal affairs” as the “golden rule” for developing countries to settle down and live in peace, which is right to the point. The Riyadh Declaration issued at the first China-Arab Summit last year clearly stated that it opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of safeguarding democracy.
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“Leave unforgettable memories of Hangzhou to the world”
In the afternoon of the same day, President Xi Jinping also met with two heads of international sports organizations who came to China to attend the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games, namely International Olympic Committee Chairman Bach and Asian Olympic Council Acting Chairman Singh.
△That afternoon, four meetings were held in this hall. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Li Zengren)
Bach is an old friend of President Xi. He visited China shortly after taking office in 2013. He told President Xi at the time, “I chose China for my first overseas trip after taking office to show that the International Olympic Committee hopes to strengthen cooperation with China.”
Bach has visited China to attend the opening ceremonies of many important events such as the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, the 2015 Beijing World Athletics Championships, the 2017 China National Games, and last year’s Beijing Winter Olympics. President Xi has met with him in all of them.
△The Chinese national flag and the Olympic flag were displayed at the meeting site. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Li Zengren)
During this meeting, both leaders talked about the topic of “depoliticizing sports.”
President Xi said that China will never stop spreading the Olympic spirit and is willing to work with the International Olympic Committee to adhere to the principle of non-politicization of sports, make full use of the legacy of the Beijing Winter Olympics, and make new changes to promote the Olympic cause and build a community with a shared future for mankind. Great contribution.
Bach said that the world is currently facing various difficulties such as geopolitical conflicts. The International Olympic Committee is committed to safeguarding multilateralism and opposing the politicization of sports. He appreciates China’s correct stance in this regard.
Singh will serve as the acting chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia from 2021. He was a former Indian Olympic skeet shooter. He arrived in Hangzhou on the 19th of this month.
During the meeting on the afternoon of the 22nd, Singh said that the various venues and facilities in Hangzhou are very beautiful, advanced and impressive, and the athletes are very satisfied. The Chinese people are very warm and friendly, making athletes and guests from all over the world feel at home. I believe that the Hangzhou Asian Games will be a wonderful success!
△The Chinese national flag and the Olympic Council of Asia flag were displayed at the meeting site. (Photographed by CCTV reporter Li Zengren)
President Xi said during the meeting that with the joint support of the Olympic Council of Asia and the Asian Olympic family, the Hangzhou Asian Games is about to kick off. The Chinese government and people have the confidence and ability to host a sports event with “Chinese characteristics, Asian style, and splendid” to enhance the unity and friendship of the Asian people and leave unforgettable memories of Hangzhou to the world.
Bai Juyi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote: “When I remember the south of the Yangtze River, I remember Hangzhou the most.”
The theme song of the Hangzhou Asian Games, “Together with Love,” goes like this: “You and I live together in Asia, breathing the same feelings, sharing the same dreams…”
On the evening of September 23, the Hangzhou Asian Games will officially open. Let us look forward to together, an Asian Games event that fully demonstrates the power of culture and civilization will be performed wonderfully in Zhijiang and create long-lasting memories of Hangzhou.
Producer丨Shen Yong and Gong Xuehui
Main writer丨Liu Ruilin
Reporter丨Ma Chao, Li Zenren, Cheng Cheng, Zhang Yao, Cao Yaxing, Wei Bangjun, Fan Kai, Jiang Shuo, Lu Xinyu, E Jiefu, Lu Hongyu, Yu Zhenyi
Vision丨Chen Kuo and Zhang Jing
Editor丨Wang Zun
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责编：宫辞 ]
2023-09-23 03:50:00
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