China is confident that it will be able to snag the hosting bet for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics as Beijing is now considered a "safe" choice for the role by the organizing committee.
Despite lacking enough thick snow to host some of the most awaited skiing events, the Chinese capital is currently considered the new frontrunner to host the Winter Olympics set to be held eight years from now.
"If the International Olympic Committee selects Beijing, they select safety and guarantee. Beijing is a zero-risk candidate to host the 2022 Games," Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee spokesperson Wang Hui explained.
About a year ago, Beijing had been considered a "long shot" from the 2022 Winter Olympics, considering that two other Asian countries, namely South Korea and Japan, have already been lined up for the 2018 Winter Games and 2020 Summer Games, respectively.
According to Wang, who also served as the deputy press director for the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the Beijing bid committee will be attending an Association of National Olympic Committees assembly on Nov. 7 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Beijing, together with its neighbor, Hebei Province's city of Zhangjiakou, has launched a joint bid November last year to host the said event as facilities and government support for the sports event had already been settled.
During the Bangkok assembly, Beijing mayor and bid committee chief Wang Anshun will present their bidding plan and share updates on preparations being made by the capital for the 2022 sports event.
Mayor Wang expressed his enthusiasm on the project which will be the Beijing bid committee's international debut, noting that his presentation will focus on Beijing's major advantages like athlete-focused services, efficient preparations and promotion of winter-related sports.
"We will show the world our commitment and capabilities to host a successful Winter Olympic Games," Wang told China Daily.