Beijing 2022 starts 30-day countdown

(ECNS) -- Preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics entered the final stages with the 30-day countdown on Monday.

Beijing has been striving to present the world a green, shared, open and honest 2022 Games.

The National Speed Skating Oval, known as the "Ice Ribbon", will stage the speed skating competitions during the 2022 Winter Olympics. It is the world's first Winter Olympic venue that uses carbon dioxide for ice-making, currently the most environmentally friendly ice-making technology, with near-zero carbon emissions and improved efficiency.

A total of 12 competition venues have been completed and fully meet competition standards. Three Winter Olympic Villages and the Main Media Center have been delivered for use.

Ten international competition events, three international training weeks and two domestic tests were held from Oct. 5 to the end of December last year in eight competition venues in central Beijing, Beijing's Yanqing District, and Hebei's Zhangjiakou City. More than 2,000 athletes, officials and staff from overseas attended these events.

In addition, closed-loop management will be implemented to protect Beijing 2022 participators and Chinese against COVID-19.

"The IOC continues to be impressed by the progress of preparations. And we are all looking forward to writing this new chapter in China's great sporting history," said International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach in September.

The Chinese government also encourages people to take part in the ice and snow sports. Data showed that 654 standard ice rinks and 803 indoor and outdoor ski resorts had been built across China by the beginning of 2021, increasing by 317and 41 percent respectively compared with 2015.

Athletes from all over the world will demonstrate the Olympic spirit of "Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together" a month later, with the event to bring new glory to the Olympic movement.