Welcome Speech from Director Xiao
SPEECH AT THE LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF PHOTO EXHIBITION BEIJING 2022 & CHINA’S WINTER TRAVEL AND THE RELEASE OF TRAVEL MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTS OF CHINA ICE & SNOW
Sydney 21 December, 2021
Xiayong Xiao
Director, China National Tourist Office, Sydney & China Cultural Centre in Sydney
Distinguished guests, dear friends, Ladies & Gentlemen,
Good evening!
It gives me great pleasure to have you at this event. To start with, on behalf of CNTO and CCC in Sydney, I’d like to extend my warmest welcome to all of you.
Christmas is just around the corner, and we’d like to host this launching ceremony as a festive party when the jingle bells are ringing all the way down to Australia. The year 2021 has been quite challenging with many ups and downs, and twists and turns. Luckily, we all made it. There’re full reasons for us to laugh and relax and meet with friends and business partners after all those. Thank you very much for your consistent support and efforts.
Looking ahead, we wish wholeheartedly a brand-new year of fulfillment and good luck. In less than two months, Beijing 2022 would kick off on the 4th of next February. An event hosted with great efforts and staging the world’s best winter athletes-some of whom come from Australia, it will fully live up to China’s promise to be extraordinary. Later at the exhibition, you’ll get to know more about the Games and China’s winter travel-in case you are just looking for some places to escape, a one-stop-for-all escape, including ice & snow beauty and fun, white-covered cultural glory, sumptuous Chinese meals, and luxurious hot spring bath, to name just a few.
You may have noticed upon arrival those cute Olympic mascot cupcakes. We actually have more for you to take home with: the fun-packed travel magazine HIGHLIGHTS OF CHINA’S ICE & SNOW. Thanks to excellent teamwork with Citrus Media, we’re now ready to release it. Following our series HIGHLIGHTS OF CHINA, HIGHLIGHTS OF CHINA’S SILK ROAD, this magazine will unveil breathtaking winter scenery and magical playgrounds in China’s cooler months.
Beijing 2022 would get us reminded, encouraged, and inspired with how strong we humans could be and how much we could give out to explore our potential, reach the limits and score new success. These values and spirits, I believe, are the most precious and wanted in the time of difficulty and uncertainty that we’re facing together. We always welcome you to visit China and experience its diversity and hospitality. A closer look into the upcoming Beijing 2022 and China’s winter travel would increase our knowledge of each other, strengthen the China-Australia friendship, and our mutual exchanges and understanding.
Last but not least, thank you again for coming to this ceremony. Hope you enjoy it. Wish you a very merry Christmas and happy new year!
Thank you.
Snapshots
Take a Glimpse at the Online Exhibition
“Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and China Ice&Snow Travel Photography Exhibition” is now online. Please scan the QR code to watch(Recommended). Otherwise, you can open with Chrome by clicking the below link.
http://www.ishizhi.cn/Winter.html
Take a Glimpse at the E-Magazine
In February 2022, all eyes turn towards China as it hosts the XXIV Winter Olympic Games – the pinnacle event of winter sport on the planet. Commonly referred to as Beijing 2022, the Games’ events take place in Beijing and neighbouring Hebei province, drawing attention to these ice and snow-covered wonderlands as they not only showcase the world’s best winter athletes, but also open the door to an abundance of awe-inspiring experiences that can be enjoyed by those travellers who visit China in its cooler months.
Of course, while Beijing and Hebei are the focal points of the Winter Olympics, China’s ice and snow experiences extend well beyond these two stunning locations. In the following pages, we hope to give you just a small taste of what you can discover. From Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces in China’s north-easternmost reaches, heading west through Liaoning and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and all the way to the Xinjiang at the opposite corner of the country, China boasts a seemingly endless array of attractions and landscapes that will mesmerise and delight winter visitors.
Admire impressive snow sculptures and cultural traditions at annual ice and snow festivals. Explore vast, snowcovered grasslands where herdsmen and their horses wander. Dive into ancient cities and villages where diverse ethnic groups live traditional winter lives. Soak in luxurious hot springs at elegant resorts, enjoying sumptuous Chinese meals. Witness ice-covered lakes, snowcapped mountains, and wondrous rime scenery along riverbanks. Ski the thrilling slopes of state-of-the-art ski resorts. Enjoy the sights of China’s most famous landmarks, from the Great Wall to Beijing’s Forbidden City, in all their whitecovered winter glory. The list goes on.
We could continue – and we will throughout these pages – however, we’ve really only scratched the surface. There is so much to see and do, and we’re excited for travellers to learn about what makes winter in China such a special time and place to escape. Grab your jacket, beanie and gloves – you are warmly welcome to unlock China’s breathtaking ice and snow secrets.
XIAYONG XIAO
Director of China National Tourist Office,
Sydney and China Cultural Centre in Sydney
