The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will proceed smoothly and successfully as planned despite challenges posed by the Omicron variant, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday.
Photo taken on March 4, 2020 shows a rendering of the National Sliding Center for 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. During the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the National Sliding Center will host bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events. (File photo: Xinhua)
He made the remarks at a routine press briefing when asked about whether the new Omicron variant will affect the Beijing Winter Olympics.
"The Omicron variant will definitely pose challenges to the prevention and control of COVID-19, but China has experiences in that so I fully believe that the Winter Olympics will be held smoothly and successfully as scheduled," Zhao said.
China appreciates South Africa’s efforts in offering timely information, he noted.
"China is willing to cooperate with the international community including southern African countries to fight against the pandemic," Zhao said.
(Compiled by Xie Runjia)
