On the morning of December 3, the State Council Information Office held a press conference on the latest progress in the preparations for the 2022 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and updates on Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition zones, and answered questions from the press.

All 12 competition venues are ready with preparations completed.

According to Yan Cheng, executive director general of the Beijing 2022 Main Operation Centre, the Winter Olympics is scheduled to open on February 4 and close on February 20, while the Winter Paralympics opens on March 4 and closes on March 13. All preparations are now in place.

According to Yan, in terms of venues and infrastructure, all 12 competition venues have been completed, and inspected and certified by international winter sports organizations as ready to host competitions.

Top priority is given to epidemic prevention and control. Internationally, a dedicated working group on Covid-19 containment has been established with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the World Health Organization and other stakeholders. Domestically, the National Health Commission, Beijing Municipality and Hebei Province have jointly established an anti-Covid medical coordination task force and an expert group to jointly formulate the general guidance on and the overall plan for epidemic prevention and control, and tailored policies for each competition and each venue.

The Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee closely follows the Omicron variant

Zhao Weidong, director general of the Media and Communications Department of the Beijing 2022 and executive deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, said that we are also paying close attention to the latest developments of the Omicron variant, and monitoring and assessing its potential impact on the Games. Anti-epidemic  measures stipulated in the Beijing 2022 Playbooks are based on prudent and science-based assessments, which test events proved effective in ensuring Covid-related safety.

A successful Olympic Games could not be possible without a Covid-free environment, therefore the top priority has been given to epidemic prevention and control. During the Games, a host of comprehensive prevention and control measures will be implemented to minimize the risk of imported infections, protect the health of all participants as well as residents of the host cities, and ensure the safe and smooth running of the Games as scheduled.

Registered persons in the closed loop can move freely with dedicated transportation

Zhao said that the closed-loop management will not limit the free movement of any registered person inside the loop. Registered participants can move freely in the closed-loop area, traveling by dedicated vehicles between venues and accommodation facilities and between the three competition zones of Beijing, Yanqing, and Zhangjiakou.

Zhao said that two efficient means of transportation will be available for registered personnel to shuttle between the three competition zones and between venues within the same competition zone. Major modes of transportation are as follows.

First, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway connects the three competition zones. Registered personnel can travel by railway free of charge across the three competition zones during the Winter Olympics. The high-speed railway is designed to reach 350 km per hour. The journey between Beijing and Yanqing takes about 20 minutes, while that between Beijing and Zhangjiakou will be about 50 minutes. We will also increase the number of train services to ensure sufficient transportation capacity to meet the demands of various stakeholders during the Games.

Second, shuttle bus services are available. We offer inter-zone transport by shuttle buses and a 24-hour shuttle bus service between the three competition zones to serve the press and other stakeholders on top of the high-speed railway. In addition, you may have noticed that new lanes have been marked on some roads in Beijing. Participants will use these special lanes to effectively shorten travel time between destinations.

Besides, a toll card to take taxis is also an option to satisfy personalized transportation needs within the closed loop. The taxi drivers are designated by Beijing 2022 and will only travel within the specified areas and between venues on the list of destinations within the loop.

How should registered personnel leave the closed loop after the Games?

Zhao said that there are two scenarios for people leaving the loop after the Games:

First, registered inbound personnel who will leave China immediately after the Games. Beijing 2022 will provide nucleic acid testing services with test reports valid for international travel within 48 hours before departure. Also, a dedicated team will assist them in completing health status declaration procedures within 24 hours before departure.

Second, inbound personnel who will continue to work or live in China after the Games. They shall undergo quarantine at designated facilities and can only leave the loop after completing the quarantine. The number of quarantine days needed will be decided by expert reviews based on the work these people are involved in. Related information can be found in the playbook for Covid-19 countermeasures. To sum up, if people are to stay in China after leaving the closed loop, they shall undergo quarantine to minimize the risk of virus spreading in China.

National and regional Olympic and Paralympic committees are in charge of inviting international dignitaries

Zhao also briefed about the invitation of international leaders. Distinguished international guests attending the Winter Olympics and Paralympics include heads of state, heads of government and sports ministers from participating countries, as well as other senior government officials attending the Winter Paralympics. These international dignitaries will be invited by the relevant national and regional Olympic and Paralympic committees instead of the IOC and the Olympic organizing committee of the host country. The national and regional committees should also submit registration applications for the guests they invited and pay for related fees. People can refer to the national and regional Olympic committees for related information.

(Reporter: Li Ruyi)