Cheng Hong, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said it's a great honor to be directly involved in the preparation of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and on the front line helping athletes make the most of their Winter Olympics experience. 

Cheng, who is also vice-chairwoman of the CPPCC Beijing Committee, had the experience of working as the deputy head of the Olympic Village when the capital city hosted the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. She said she is excited to be part of the historic moment when Beijing becomes the first city in history to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. 

She becomes emotional when introducing the tremendous changes at the Yanqing competition zone since Beijing won the bid for the Games six years ago, including the emergence of world-class sports venues and the addition of the beautiful village. 

At the village's opening ceremony on Jan 20, Cheng said the complex is expected to accommodate approximately 1,300 athletes from around 91 countries and regions. 

Some 3,600 people from across the country have worked closely, made meticulous efforts, and overcome many difficulties to ensure the village passed all tests and trials before its opening, according to Cheng. 

"Today, our Olympic Village has a wide range of facilities and services ready, the scenery is becoming more beautiful, and several delegations from the International Olympic Committee have spoken highly of the preparations here," Cheng said. 

She said the village will be committed to creating a safe, warm and comfortable environment to make athletes feel at home, with dining, accommodation, transport, medical service, health and recreational programs in place. 

To prevent COVID-19 and ensure the safety of Games participants, the village will strictly comply with closed-loop management rules and do its best to ease the sense of tension or distance that may arise due to pandemic restrictions, Cheng said. 

Established about six months ago, the 3,600-strong team behind the Yanqing Olympic and Paralympic Village has an average age of less than 32 years old. They have all undertaken a series of training and are well-prepared and eager to contribute to the success of Beijing 2022.