A true champion behind China's drive for building a sporting powerhouse
XI'AN -- President Xi Jinping declared the country's 14th National Games open in Xi'an, the capital city of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on Wednesday evening.
This marked the third time that Xi has attended the opening ceremony of the country's premier multi-sport event since 2013.
A keen sports fan himself, Xi has on many occasions expounded on his profound understanding of sports and taken the lead in China's efforts to turn the country into a sports powerhouse, a goal he described as part of the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.
"President Xi is a true champion and I want to give him a set of medals because he has a clear vision about the important role of sports in society, and the importance of sports for education for the young people. So in this respect, he is the true Olympic champion for the youth," International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach told reporters when Xi paid a visit to the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2017.
