The inaugural ceremony of AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Local Organising Committee was held in Beijing on October 22. Chen Jining, Chairman of the Organising Committee and Mayor of Beijing, attended and addressed the ceremony. The ceremony was chaired by Du Zhaocai, Executive Chairman of the Organising Committee, Deputy Minister of China's General Administration of Sport, and Secretary of the Party Committee of Chinese Football Association.
Noting that hosting the AFC Asian Cup 2023 is a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee in view of the country's overall development, Chen Jining said Beijing, as one of the ten host cities, will further enhance its international influence and accelerate its development as a center for international exchanges. Beijing will plan and advance the preparations on a high level, build venues with high standards, organize the events carefully, and design the opening and closing ceremonies with ingenuity, in an endeavor to promote the sport in the capital city. The city will fully draw on its experience in preparing for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and proceed with all relevant work in an orderly way.
Entrusted by Gou Zhongwen, Chairman of the Organising Committee and Minister of the General Administration of Sport, Du Zhaocai said hosting the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 is a step to implement the important instructions given by General Secretary Xi Jinping to boost China's football cause more quickly. The event will be a window to show the world our great achievements of reform, opening-up and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and a historic opportunity to present the city to the world and advance its all-round development. Du called for strengthened organization and leadership and improved working mechanism in the preparations with close attention to epidemic prevention and control in the process, so as to complete relevant tasks on schedule with high quality. He urged relevant parties to make the Asian Cup China 2023 a world-class sports gala with Chinese characteristics and a grand event shared by all. He also urged efforts to train a national team of great competence and character.
Du introduced the Organising Committee which consists of personnel from relevant departments of the CPC Central Committee and state organs as well as the host provinces and cities. Its secretariat is set in the Chinese Football Association, responsible for the committee's routine work, while the host cities will also form their own working bodies.
Shi Qiang, Secretary General of the Organising Committee, introduced the preparations for the Asian Cup 2023. Since China won the bid to host the event, the preparatory work has been carried out in an orderly manner. The venue designs have been approved by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and construction has commenced successively. Communication with AFC has remained efficient and smooth; the preparatory team has been replenished; organization of competitions is in full swing; promotion activities have yielded positive effects; and all-round services will be in place for the sporting event.
AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa sent via video link his congratulations on the establishment of the China Organising Committee, and expressed his expectation to see the most brilliant Asian Cup ever held in China. “High-standard football fields will be built in all ten host cities to provide the best experience for spectators. China's ability to organize and host prestigious international events will stun the world. We firmly believe that China will present a spectacularly successful Asian Cup.”
The AFC Asian Cup 2023 is an AFC-sponsored football event featuring the highest level and greatest influence in Asia. To be held during the 14th Five-year Plan period, the international sporting event will take place from June to July 2023 in ten cities across China, namely Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi’an, Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen and Suzhou, with the participation of teams from 24 countries and regions. The establishment of the China Organising Committee marked a new stage in the preparations for the event.
The inaugural ceremony was held in a video-conferencing format with the main venue in Beijing and sub-venues in the other host provinces and cities. Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee and Vice Mayor of Beijing Zhang Jiandong, Deputy Governor of Liaoning Province Lu Ke, Deputy Mayor of Shanghai Chen Qun, Deputy Governor of Jiangsu Province Chen Xingying, Deputy Governor of Fujian Province Zheng Jianmin, Deputy Governor of Shandong Province Sun Jiye, Deputy Mayor of Chongqing Qu Qian, Deputy Governor of Shaanxi Province Fang Guanghua, Mayor of Chengdu Wang Fengchao, Mayor of Xi’an Li Mingyuan, Mayor of Dalian Chen Shaowang, and Mayor of Suzhou Li Yaping attended the ceremony. Also present were officials from relevant departments of the CPC Central Committee and state organs, members of the Organising Committee, Chinese Football Association, and governments, sports bureaus and football associations of the host provinces and cities.
(Reporter: Li Li)
