Photo taken on Dec. 31, 2019 shows the National Speed Skating Oval, also known as the "Ice Ribbon", in Beijing. (Photo: Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's UN envoy on Monday said the Chinese government attaches great importance to the security of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in 2022.

China's Permanent Representative to the UN Zhang Jun made the remarks at the UN's launch of "Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and Its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism."

Zhang said the Chinese government started as early as 2015 relevant security preparations, as requested by the International Olympic Committee, and the Olympic venues under construction have been placed under the security system.

"We will establish a security center, a command and control center and an intelligence center, as well as interactive mechanisms among different sites hosting the games to ensure a safe, smoothly run and successful Winter Olympics," he said.

On the significance of sports events, the Chinese diplomat maintained that sports events have provided athletes of different countries, nationalities, cultures and skin colors with an important platform to enhance mutual understanding, increase people-to-people exchanges, and foster social integration.

Sporting events also attract more young people to the cause of sports, drive economy and trade, and make their positive contribution to world peace and development, he added.