Nation ‘a strong Games candidate’

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China is "a very strong candidate" to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach told China Daily before meeting President Xi Jinping on Tuesday afternoon.

"China is known worldwide as a reliable organizer. We all still remember the brilliant Olympic Games in 2008 in Beijing. So I think China will have a good chance, but it's not an easy race."

When he met Bach later in the day, Xi stressed China's willingness to host the Winter Olympics.

Early this month, Beijing and neighboring Zhangjiakou in Hebei province announced a joint bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. They are competing with Stockholm (Sweden), Oslo (Norway), Lviv (Ukraine), Almaty (Kazakhstan) and a joint bid from Krakow (Poland) and Jasna(Slovakia).

Bach, a German who took over as IOC chief in September, has visited Nanjing, host city for the 2017 Youth Olympic Games, and Beijing in the past two days on his first visit to China in his current capacity.

Xi told Bach during their meeting that China hopes to use the bidding opportunity to help promote the development of the Olympic movement and winter sports.

After the meeting, Bach presented Xi with the Olympic Order in Gold, the Olympic movement's highest award.

For the 2022 Winter Games, Beijing is bidding to host events staged on ice, while Zhangjiakou, about 200 km northwest of the capital, is bidding to host the snow events.

An intercity railway has been planned and when it is operational it will take only about 40 minutes to travel between the two cities. Construction is expected to start at the end of this year.

Questions:

1. Which Chinese cities want to host the 2022 Winter Olympics?

2. Which Olympic official visited China?

3. Which Olympic honor did President Xi Jinping receive on Tuesday?

Answers:

1. Beijing and Zhangjiakou.

2. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

3. The Olympic Order in Gold.

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.