Chinese President reiterates commitment to host 'extraordinary' 2022 Olympics

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping has urged organizers of the 2022 Winter Olympics to work harder and fulfill China's commitment to the Olympic Family of hosting a "fantastic, extraordinary and excellent" Games.

In a written instruction to the Games organizers, Xi said hosting an extraordinary Olympics is also an important move to push for the integration of Beijing and neighboring cities.

The move aims to create a new economic belt and environment-friendly zone, incorporating the surrounding Hebei Province, and Tianjin, a port city to the capital's southeast.

Xi also stressed a "green" Olympics, saying joint efforts are needed to promote the awareness of environmental protection among the Chinese people.

In the instruction, the president called for a heightened level of city management and broader appeal of winter sports in China.

In order to "host an Olympics as pure and clean as snow", Xi said, the budgets should be more carefully reviewed, the costs be controlled and supervision be strengthened.

Beijing and Zhangjiakou won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics during an International Olympic Committee Session on July 31 when Xi threw his weight behind the bid, reiterating the nation's passion for the Games in a video speech played during the final presentation to the IOC members.

The leading organizers of the 2022 Olympics gathered for the first time in Beijing on Tuesday.