CRI听力:China Promotes Bid for 2022 Winter Games in Sochi

As fierce athletic competition continues at the Sochi Winter Games, the race between cities bidding for the 2022 Winter Games is already underway.

CRI's Olympic correspondent Ding Lulu has more.

Report: Applicant cities for the 2022 Winter Olympics are in Sochi drumming up support for their bids.

China was the first to start its campaign. Beijing's deputy mayor Yang Xiaochao is the vice-president of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee.

"Winter Olympics has not been held in the most populous country in the world. We hope through hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics, we can realize the dream of hosting both the Summer and the Winter Games in the same city."

Bidding teams from the four applicant cities are on an Observer Program to learn from Sochi's experience.

The bidding has proved popular with people back home at a Beijing Ski resort.

"I will definitely go watch the games if it were held in Zhang Jiakou, not to mention if it were held in Beijing."

"It sounds like a good idea. It's cold enough in the winter for winter events, the view is magnificent, the whole great wall overlooking the ski resort is beautiful."

A poll of 2500 people found over 90 percent support for Beijing's bid.

Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, says he appreciates China's effort.

"We appreciate very much this bid from China for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, because it is a concept that could motivate millions of people in the region of Beijing and beyond to practise winter sports and there would be excellent facilities."

According to Beijing vice mayor Yang Xiaochao, if Beijing wins the bid, it will use current venues to the extent possible. Only three of the city's 12 competition venues will be newly built.

The venues for the games are located along a line extending from Beijing to Yanqing and then Zhangjiakou, forming three relatively compact venue clusters.

But Beijing must compete with three European bidders - Norway's Oslo, Ukraine's Lviv, and a joint effort from Poland and Slovakia.

Some observers point out that with Asian cities hosting the 2018 PyeongChang and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Beijing's chances of winning another Olympic bid may be affected.

Beijing vice mayor Yang Xiaochao says participation itself is rewarding.

"Every applicant city are likely to face two very different results, we believe that the bidding itself is progress for us, whether we can win the bid or not, we will continue carry out related planning and initiatives."

For CRI, I'm Ding Lulu in Sochi, Russia.