Beijing's bid for Winter Games may turn cold

People's response to Beijing's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games has been lukewarm, different from the warm response to the city's bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. Perhaps Beijing's smog-covered skies and the serious air pollution in North China are to blame for that.

Beijing has many advantages when it comes to hosting the Winter Games, including the legacy of the Beijing 2008 Summer Games. The Beijing Summer Olympics showed the rest of the world how competent China was in hosting international sport galas. With enough venues and facilities, as well as financial strength, Beijing could host the 2022 Winter Games.

Besides, the co-host city of Zhangjiakou in Hebei province has great advantages in terms of natural resources and winter sport facilities. Also, the 40-minute journey between Beijing and Zhangjiakou on the proposed high-speed railway will make transportation and accommodation in the two cities more convenient for athletes and officials, as well as spectators.