Beijing 2022 preparations to speed up in 2017

A worldwide competition was launched in August last year to find an emblem for both the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. A judging panel is assessing the candidate designs and the official logo is expected to be unveiled in the second half of 2017.

As highlighted in Beijing's bid plans, China has pledged to encourage 300 million people to participate in winter sports ahead of the 2022 Games. Efforts are being made to expand participation in winter sport in northern China. The call has triggered greater investment in the winter recreation sector, which has seen 108 ski resorts built since Beijing won the 2022 Olympic bid in July, 2015.

The Beijing municipal government has mapped out a five-year (2016-2020) plan on public fitness, pledging "vigorous efforts" to introduce winter sports to the public including Alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating and curling.

According to the plan, the government will use sports lottery revenue and other funds to build sporting venues, set up sports associations, and organize competitions and festivals.

China's General Administration of Sport also released a plan in November last year to speed up the construction of winter sports infrastructure, aiming to build at least 500 skating rinks before the 2022 Winter Games.

The plan calls for 650 skating gyms, 500 of which will be built in five years, in addition to 800 skiing resorts across the country.

Bach predicted that Chinese athletes will be much more competitive in a winter Olympiad on home soil.

"We can already see now many improvements in many sports. I am confident the home team in China will be very strong not only in ice sports but also in snow sports. You can already see Chinese athletes coming up... We know the determination of the Chinese people and the government," said Bach.