Xi and his wife host banquet for guests attending Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Chinese President Xi Jinping gives a toast at a banquet to welcome distinguished guests from around the world who attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2022. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted the banquet at the Great Hall of the People Saturday noon. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted a banquet at the Great Hall of the People Saturday noon to welcome distinguished guests from around the world who attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

Giving a toast at the beginning of the banquet, Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, extended a warm welcome to all the distinguished guests travelling to China and attending the Games, and sincerely thanked all governments, peoples and international organizations that care about and support the Beijing Olympic Winter Games.

In his speech, Xi noted that China, committed to organizing a green, inclusive, open and clean Games, has made every effort to counter the impact of COVID-19, earnestly fulfilled its solemn pledge to the international community, and ensured the smooth opening of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games as scheduled.

He said that China has achieved the goal of engaging 300 million Chinese in sport on snow and ice, and made new contribution to the cause of Olympism worldwide.

The Olympic Movement has carried humanity's aspirations for peace, solidarity and progress since ancient times, Xi said.

"We shall keep in mind the original aspiration of the Olympic Movement and jointly uphold world peace," Xi said, calling for upholding mutual respect and equality and working together for a world of durable peace.

"We shall promote the spirit of the Olympic Movement and meet the common challenges facing the international community through solidarity," he said, highlighting the need to practice true multilateralism and work together to build an international family of harmony and cooperation.

He also called for staying true to humanity's common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, promoting exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, and working together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Noting that tiger is a symbol of strength, courage and fearlessness, Xi wished all Olympic athletes excellent performance with the strength of the tiger.

"I am confident that with the joint efforts of us all, Beijing 2022 will surely go down in history as a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympic Games," Xi said.

President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also made speeches at the banquet, saying that they will never forget the extraordinary and splendid opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

They said that China has fulfilled the goal to engage 300 million people in winter sports ahead of schedule, which will permanently change the pattern of world ice and snow sports and benefit both China and the world.

Uniting the world through peaceful and healthy competition is the mission of the Olympic Movement, which should also become the goal of all countries, they said.

They hoped that the international community should take the Beijing Winter Olympics as an opportunity to rise above differences and work together for a shared and better future.

Senior Chinese leaders including Wang Huning and Han Zheng also attended the banquet.