Foreign Teachers’ Thoughts on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics

Living in China, I often buy milk and I always see the logo “Beijing Olympics 2022” printed on the carton, which refers to the 2022 Winter Olympics held in China. As a sports lover, I know the Olympics is of great importance. All athletes in the world dream to participate in the Olympics, and it is the most important sports event in the world. Athletes who win Olympic medals represent the highest level in certain fields.

As we understand the importance of this event and its significance to the global sports scene, let’s talk about the story of the 2022 Beijing Olympics. As we all know, China is an ancient country with a civilization of more than 5,000 years. The Chinese culture has become an inseparable part of all Chinese people. Today, China is one of the most important countries in the world. During my few years of stay in China, I have witnessed the efforts that China had put into this event, such as the early and elaborate preparation in urban development, construction of stadiums, training of athletes, building of infrastructure, rehearsal of celebration ceremonies and media campaigns, etc.

Despite the unexpected difficulties posed to China and the world because of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, China persisted in preparing for the event. Regardless of questions about China’s ability to host the Winter Olympics in the face of the epidemic, China managed to overcome the difficulties. The country relied on a well-researched system, thoughtful planning, and outstanding governance, rather than acting blindly. It was because of this tremendous effort that China successfully hosted this event. Yet, this is not new to China, as it has many excellent experiences in hosting major events. In my opinion, the opening ceremony is a particular example of the great effort China has put into hosting the Winter Olympics. I especially wished I could have been on the scene to watch the ceremony, but the epidemic prevented us from being there, so we had to watch the games on TV. I am very happy to see how well China organized this event.

In fact, before I came to China, I always wondered why China always obtained good results in the Olympics. Through my work at one of China’s leading universities, Sun Yat-sen University, for a few years, I have found the answer. As far as I have seen, it is because from primary and secondary schools to universities, sports is a very well-organized subject, with the sports department and other relevant departments coordinating closely and giving it a high priority. Moreover, sport is part of Chinese culture, which explains why China always achieves good results in the Olympics. Some may argue that China’s large population is the reason why China has done so well in the Olympics. I would argue that although a large population is important, it is not the main reason, as other countries with similar populations to China do not excel in the Olympics.

I think despite many obstacles, China has managed to host a unique event. I hope that China will continue to be successful and prosperous and that the epidemic will soon disappear from the world.