The fifth day of the first lunar month, the day after the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics. President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan held a banquet in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People to welcome guests attending the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games.

Before the banquet, President Xi Jinping, His wife Peng Liyuan and other distinguished guests wore masks printed with the flags of their respective countries, regions and international organizations and stood side by side, waving to the cameras and taking precious photos.

The melody of "Peace -- Community of Common Destiny" began. "I would like to express my special thanks to all of you for coming to Beijing to cheer for the Winter Olympics and China, despite the difficulties and inconvenience brought by COVID-19." President Xi jinping said.

This is a difficult reunion.

The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been repeatedly delayed. The Beijing Winter Olympics, hosted as scheduled and attended by athletes and distinguished guests from various countries and regions, sent a strong message of "greater unity" and "together for the future" to the world.

Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Beijing. Snow, plum spruce branches.

"The preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics have been excellent and smooth, with wonderful venues, comprehensive epidemic prevention measures and advanced sustainable operation concepts. We applaud China for its efficiency, determination and dynamism!" President Bach sincerely praised.

Eight years ago, in Sochi, Russia. President Xi Jinping flew to the town from Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics, expressing support for the Olympic Movement and good neighbors, good partners and good friends in hosting the Games.

At that time, China's Beijing and Zhangjiakou had already put forward their bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. During his visit to Sochi, President Xi Jinping had an in-depth discussion with President Bach.

In China, snow and ice sports do not enter the customs. If snow and ice sports can be promoted in The pass, it is estimated that two to three million people will participate in it, thus lighting the torch of snow and ice sports in China."

From the international Olympic Committee (IOC) awarding the 2022 Winter Olympics in 2015, to the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, China's invitation to the world, and then to 2022 "China is ready"...

Thanks to President Xi Jinping's personal care and encouragement, the 2022 Winter Olympics blueprint has gradually become a reality.

"Hundreds of millions of Chinese people and I welcome friends from all over the world to meet in Beijing in 2022! Welcome, friends!"

Nearly 3,000 athletes from 91 countries and regions participated in the competition, and many countries sent athletes to the games for the first time.

About 170 official representatives from nearly 70 countries, regions and international organizations, including more than 30 heads of state and government, speakers of parliament, important royal families and heads of international organizations from five continents, attended the event.

President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met offline for the first time in more than two years during their visit to China.

"Rather than Chinese athletes winning a few gold MEDALS, I care more about the power and vitality it will inject into our future."

On the eve of the Opening of the Winter Olympics, President Xi Jinping told Bach.

Eight years ago in Sochi, President Xi Jinping talked to Chinese winter Olympic athletes about gold MEDALS.

"The achievement is not only about whether or how many MEDALS we can win, but also about the Olympic spirit of unremitting self-improvement, overcoming and surpassing ourselves."

President Xi Jinping and the Olympic Movement have a unique relationship, from serving as the leader of the leading group for the preparation of the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, to leading China to successfully host the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, and to personally promoting the bid and preparation for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"The goal of the Olympic Movement is the all-round development of human beings." As China has entered a new stage of higher development, President Xi Jinping has a broader and long-term vision for the success of the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

President Xi Jinping delivers a video address at the opening ceremony of the 139th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Beijing on Feb 3, one day before the opening of the Winter Olympic Games.

"From 'One World, One Dream' in 2008 to 'Together for the Future' in 2022, China has taken an active part in the Olympic Movement and carried forward the Olympic spirit. China is a firm follower and activist of the Olympic ideal."

"By preparing for the Winter Olympics, China has successfully encouraged 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports, which has promoted regional development, ecological improvement, green innovation and improved people's lives, opening up a broader space for the development of ice and snow sports around the world."

"Sportsmanship is the epitome of the Chinese spirit. This fighting spirit is a sign of our times." President Xi jinping said.

Since the beginning of 2017, President Xi Jinping has inspected the preparations for the Winter Olympics five times. Beijing, Yanqing, Zhangjiakou three competition areas, have left his "winter Olympics footprint". From the "Water Cube" to the "Ice Cube", to the full coverage of green power supply for competition venues, from promoting national health to achieving all-round prosperity, from the leapfrog development of snow sports to the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei... Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping's vision of a green, inclusive, open and clean Olympic Games, the Beijing Winter Olympics have created one amazing "first" after another.

"I want to congratulate you for not only meeting, but exceeding your goal of getting 300 million people into ice sports." In his meeting with President Xi Jinping, Bach congratulated China for its commitment. According to Bach, the era of winter sports can be divided worldwide between before and after the Beijing Games, "because 300 million people will participate in ice and snow sports, which will open a new era for ice and snow sports."

The east Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Feb. 5. When talking with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the process of "300 million people on ice and snow", President Xi Jinping was quite emotional:

"When China proposed to host the Winter Olympics, it proposed that 300 million people go to the ice and snow sports. Everyone responded positively. The whole country carried out ice and snow sports, including the southern part of China.

"During the Spring Festival in the Year of the Tiger and the hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the Chinese people are full of joy and confidence, showing a positive spirit and strength. With people like this behind us, we can do anything."

A few hours later, capital Stadium. Qu Chunyu, Fan Kxin, Zhang Yuting, Wu Dajing and Ren Ziwei of China's short track speed skating relay team won the first gold medal of the Beijing Winter Olympics with a tough performance.

At this moment, they must remember president Xi Jinping's kind words of encouragement a little over a month ago:

"How many strokes in life! Take the opportunity to be yourself. It takes ten years to sharpen a sword, but five years to sharpen a sword. It's hard work, but it's worth it. Without a cold biting, how fragrant plum blossom?"

As Bach said, When it comes to promoting the Olympic movement, President Xi Jinping is a worthy champion.

At the opening ceremony on The night of February 4, 24 athletes in red tracksuits skated across the ice, leaving long tracks to the tune of John Lennon's "Imagine". "Swifter, Altius, Fortius -- More United" is the Olympic motto.

Together to the future!

Eight years ago in Sochi, President Xi Jinping used ice hockey as an analogy to point out the importance of unity and cooperation. "It requires not only individual strength and skill, but also teamwork and cooperation. It is a good sport," he said.

Eight years later, in Beijing, President Xi Jinping used the Noah's Ark as a metaphor to convey China's determination to build a community with a shared future for mankind: "Only by strengthening solidarity and cooperation in the face of pressing global challenges and joining hands in the Noah's Ark of the new era can mankind have a better tomorrow."

Together to the future!

Despite the grim international epidemic situation, President Xi Jinping held face-to-face meetings with the 20 international dignitaries attending the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games as usual. The tight schedule of foreign affairs activities, from morning to night, with almost no rest time in between.

When future generations look back on the past, they will surely remember the classic and meaningful moments in February 2022, the Year of Yin tiger in Beijing, China

The National Stadium.

President Xi Jinping and international dignitaries witnessed that under the five rings of ice and snow, the "small snowflowers" with the names of all delegations have become a "big snowflake". Two Chinese athletes, born in the 2000s, embedded the last leg of the torch and lit it in an unexpected way.

Beijing, Yanqing, Zhangjiakou area.

Winter Olympic athletes all over the world, with the pursuit of common dreams, common values, common rules of respect, hard work, couragously compete for the lead.

It was a reminder that even the fiercest rivals can live together in peace and respect, sharing the passion, joy and friendship that sport brings.

Let's go to the future together!

President Xi Jinping's words give people confidence and strength

"China has just ushered in the Year of the Tiger. Tiger symbolizes strength, courage and fearlessness. I wish the Olympic athletes full of strength and great achievements like tiger. I am confident that with our joint efforts, the Beijing Winter Olympics will go down in history as a simple, safe and wonderful Olympic Games."