Beijing 2022 closes with great fanfare (3)

Fireworks light up the stadium during the closing ceremony, which featured artistic performances and athlete parades. Beijing has made history as the first city ever to host both summer and winter editions of the Olympics. LI HE/XINHUA

Highlighted by breakthroughs in snow sports, the host delegation bagged a national record haul of 15 medals, including nine gold, to finish third in the gold medal standings, its highest ever since China's Winter Olympics debut at the 1980 Lake Placid Games in the United States.

With the world facing common challenges such as the rampaging Omicron variant of coronavirus and geopolitical tensions, the Chinese organizers' relentless efforts to set up an equal stage for athletes to compete fiercely, yet live in peace and respect under one roof in a safe environment, earned appreciation from around the world.