On February 11th, Consul General Huang Ping visited NBC Sports Group, which has acquired the exclusive broadcast rights to the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in the United States. He also met with Michael Pollard, chief of staff of the Mayor's Office and Thomas Madden, director of Economic Development and other local officials in Stamford. Deputy Consul General Qian Jin accompanied during this visit.
When visiting NBC Sports Group, Huang Ping met with president of NBC Olympics Gary Zenkel, General Counsel Brett Goodman and other executives in NBC Sports Group. Huang Ping said that Beijing is set to become the first city in the world to host both the summer and winter Olympic Games. China stays committed to hosting the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games in a green, inclusive, open and clean manner, which reflects the vision of innovative, coordinated, green, open and inclusive development. Standing as a permanent legacy of a sustainable Olympics, the Bird's Nest will host the opening ceremony again and the Water Cube will be transformed to the Ice Cube. Other sustainable venues are under construction smoothly and the main structure of the National Speed Skating Oval "Ice Ribbon" completed. The high-speed railway line linking Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the co-host cities of the Beijing 2022, went into operation. Huang Ping expressed hope that NBC Sports Group, as well as the US audience, could experience the profound changes of cities and towns in China, as well as the hospitality of Chinese people and their innovative spirits during the winter Olympics.
Huang Ping emphasized that NBC Sports Group is not only the witness and participator of Olympics, but also the contributor and beneficiary of deeper economic and cultural exchanges between China and the US. Tough China-US relations encounter some problems currently, we believe that cooperation and friendship is in accordance with people's wishes and the only right option for China and the US. Olympics is an arena, as well as a belt of friendship. As the 2008 Olympic theme song says, "You and me, from one world, heart to heart", the Olympic games brings together people of different countries and ethnicity and promotes exchanges and mutual-understanding. We are looking forward to writing a new charter of friendship with people around the world.
Gary Zenkel spoke positively of China's development and said that NBC broadcast Olympics since 1964 and signed the broadcast right through 2032. One of the most successful things that NBC achieved during the 2008 Beijing Olympics is to help more Americans know how amazing and incredible China is. NBC treated the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a consummate cultural event, not just an athletic competition. The opening ceremony of 2008 Beijing Olympics is still one of the favourite for American audience. NBCUniversal's Olympic audience is to exceed 180 million Americans and will bring more sports television professionals to Beijing. NBC is now in close communication and coordination with Beijing Organizing Committee, as well as other agencies and expects to export the majesty, beauty and culture of China to global audience in 2022.
After the meeting, Huang Ping visited offices, studios and the digital center in NBC Sports Group.
When meeting with Stamford officials, Huang Ping said that in recent years, the challenges that China-US relations are facing have increased significantly. Thanks to the recent signing of the Phase One Trade Agreement, it proves that as long as our two parties uphold the principles of equality and mutual respect, we can always find a solution to our differences through dialogue and consultation. Cooperation has always been the mainstream of China-US relations, which is most evident in local exchanges between our two countries. China's domestic market is huge, and more and more Chinese companies and personnel are going abroad. Stamford has a bright future for exchanges and cooperation with China. We hope Stamford can further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China and play a greater role in the healthy and stable development of China-US relations.
Huang Ping introduced all-around strict measures taken by the Chinese government to fight against the novel Coronavirus and said that China has led efforts from all sectors to push the prevention and control work into full swing.The most crucial task for the moment is to execute the arrangements to the details and called for prompt and resolute actions in containing the spread of the epidemic. Acting with openness, transparency and a high sense of responsibility, China has been sharing information in a timely manner. Noting that WHO called for rational measures for protection and prevention of the epidemic, Huang Ping stressed that under the current circumstances, people need to stay calm instead of overreacting. He also expressed hope that Stamford could continue to support people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and protect the legitimate rights of Chinese communities and overseas Chinese in Stamford.
Chief of staff of the Mayor's Office Michael Pollard said that the novel Coronavirus is a challenge for the whole world. It is impressive that China has taken strong measures in such a short period time. Faced with such difficulties, only Chinese government has the extraordinary organization and capacity to overcome it. Though the virus has an impact on the exchanges between China and the US, I believe it would be temporary and impermanent. Stamford welcomes travelers, students from China and other countries. We also oppose discriminatory or unfriendly behaviors because of the virus.
Director of Economic Development Thomas Madden said that Stamford is located in the New York metropolitan area and has a great economic potential. Stamford supports cooperation with China and welcomes investment from Chinese companies.