The promise to go to the Asian Games together plays the strong voice of the times

In the golden autumn season, magnificent Asian Games paintings are slowly unfolding on the land of Zhijiang; Dangui fragrance, sports as a medium, the host opens their arms to welcome guests from all over the world.

The Hangzhou Asian Games is the largest and highest level international comprehensive sports event held in China after the successful convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, attracting widespread attention.

Looking back on the 8-year journey of preparing for the Asian Games, Hangzhou has teamed up with five co hosting cities, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Huzhou, Shaoxing, and Jinhua, always adhering to the concept of "green, intelligent, thrifty, and civilized" hosting, adhering to the requirements of "simplicity, safety, and excitement" hosting, and striving to contribute to a grand Asian Games event with "Chinese characteristics, Asian style, and splendid diversity".

Now, the Asian Games are about to open, and the world's attention is focused on Hangzhou.

As expected, the Asian Games set sail

On September 16, 2015, at the Olympic Sports Center in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Prince Ahmed, then President of the Asian Olympic Council, announced that Hangzhou, China had won the right to host the 19th Asian Games. Suddenly, warm applause rang out on the scene.

The flame of the Asian Games ignites the passion of the Chinese people, and the light of the Asian Games shines on the land of China. From the 1990 Beijing Asian Games to the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, and now to the Hangzhou Asian Games, China's comprehensive national strength has continued to soar, and its economic and social development has made rapid progress. The Yangtze River Delta region, where Zhejiang is located, is one of the most active, open, and innovative regions in China's economic development.

When the relay baton for the Asian Games was handed over to Hangzhou, the preparation work proceeded in an orderly manner.

The Asian Games is a systems engineering project. Since its establishment, party committees and governments at all levels, from the central government to Zhejiang and then to Hangzhou, have attached great importance to this matter——

On April 9, 2016, the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee was officially established, with an organizational structure of "one office and nineteen departments". Based on planning and deployment, preparations for the Asian Games began.

On October 15, 2017, the construction of Asian Games venues and facilities began. A total of 56 competition venues were established in 6 cities hosting the games, as well as 31 training venues, 1 Asian Games village, and 5 Asian Games sub villages.

On September 2, 2018, the Jakarta Asian Games came to an end, and with the completion of the handover of the Olympic Council flag, the Asian Games officially entered Hangzhou time.

Under the warm care of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, command and organizational systems have been established at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. At the national level, leadership groups for the 19th Asian Games and the 4th Asian Para Games have been established. The Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee and Government have established a leadership group for the Asian Games and the Asian Para Games, and the Hangzhou Asian Games General Command and Co host City Branch Command have been established simultaneously, marking a critical stage in the preparation work for the Asian Games, gradually transitioning from "planning" to "organizing" comprehensively.

Leading the way, personally promoting, and actively supervising. Anchoring the goal of hosting a successful Asian Games, cadres and the masses have always been fully committed to the preparations for the Asian Games.

The weekly scheduling meeting of the Hangzhou Asian Games event headquarters, which includes venues for the Asian Games, volunteer services, and transportation security, will be held to study and solve specific problems one by one, ensuring that all preparations are solidly and effectively promoted.

"From venue renovation to team deployment, we continuously optimize and improve, hoping to welcome the arrival of the Asian Games with a higher level." The relevant person in charge of Hangzhou Huanglong Sports Center said that from venue upgrading to event operation and maintenance, and then to stress testing, the staff is tireless day and night, giving their all.

After 8 years of hard work, the preparation work for the Hangzhou Asian Games has achieved fruitful results——

This Asian Games has 40 major events, 61 sub events, and 481 sub events. The host city of Hangzhou and 5 co host cities participated in the competition. All 45 Olympic Committees of Asian countries and regions have registered for the competition, with more than 12000 athletes registering. The Hangzhou Asian Games has become the largest, most diverse, and widely covered Asian Games in history.

56 competition venues and 31 training venues have been put into operation, with over 10000 dedicated personnel and over 20000 venue volunteers from 41 venue teams all in place. In addition to one Asian Games village and five Asian Games sub villages, the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee has also added Shaoxing City, Lin'an District, and Xiaoshan District as accommodation points for participating athletes, making every effort to ensure their participation.

From carefully formulating the overall plan for the torch relay and the performance plan for the opening and closing ceremonies, to continuously improving the urban transportation system, comprehensively enhancing the quality of the urban landscape, and carefully polishing all aspects of the preparation for the Asian Games. With first-class venue facilities, smooth event organization, and thoughtful service guarantee, we are committed to building a stage for Asian athletes to showcase their talents. This is a firm commitment of Hangzhou and Zhejiang.

"Now, Hangzhou is ready, and this Asian Games event will show the world a beautiful Hangzhou, a vibrant Zhejiang, and a beautiful China," said Chen Weiqiang, Executive Secretary General of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee and Deputy Director of the Hangzhou Asian Games Event Command Office.

Advancing in an orderly manner to overcome difficulties and overcome difficulties

The preparation process for the Hangzhou Asian Games has not been smooth sailing. In May 2022, due to the impact of the epidemic, the Asian Games and the Asian Para Games were postponed for one year, posing great challenges to the preparation work.

With one heart and one mind, we will overcome difficulties and concentrate our efforts on promoting the orderly preparation of the Asian Games.

The Shaoxing Baseball Sports Culture Center undertakes the baseball and softball events of this Asian Games. During the epidemic prevention and control period, the on-site project leader of the construction party and all units of the project coordinate and cooperate with each other to ensure that the work is meticulous and practical, ensuring that there is no mistake.

There are many examples like this in the preparation process for the Asian Games. Optimizing construction processes, adjusting construction plans, improving relevant processes, and strengthening on-site organization... Most of the competition venues were completed and delivered in March 2021, and testing competitions were gradually launched. The promotional activities such as "Ten Cities for the Asian Games" and "Fun Run for the Hangzhou Asian Games" were also successfully held.

Hangzhou and Zhejiang have withstood the test, not only winning the tough battle of preparing for the Asian Games, but also exercising their teams and improving their level in the practice of organizing competitions.

Urban management is becoming more refined. During the Asian Games, Hangzhou will fully rely on the "urban brain" transportation system to monitor the real-time operation of urban traffic, diagnose congestion in real time, actively prevent congestion, and quickly alleviate congestion. During the competition, Hangzhou will also use the Asian Games digital dedicated lane on the commuter roads between the facilities related to the Asian Games services.

Urban infrastructure has significantly jumped. On August 8th this year, the long-awaited Tianmushan Road Tunnel in Hangzhou opened for trial operation, marking the full opening of the longest east-west expressway in Hangzhou - Qiantang Expressway. In the future, this "river to city" expressway will strengthen block communication and connection, improve the efficiency of road network traffic, and unleash the vitality of urban development.

The principle of "sports benefiting the people" has been put into practice. The Hangzhou Asian Games has set a precedent for comprehensive sports venues in China to be opened to the public before the competition. By constructing urban embedded sports facilities and opening pre appointment primary and secondary school sports venues, it has created a "10 minute fitness circle" for citizens. In November 2022, the Qiantang River Greenway with a total length of over 1000 kilometers will be fully operational.

The struggle and trek along this path are extremely difficult. The preparation process for the Hangzhou Asian Games once again demonstrates the institutional advantage of concentrating socialist forces to accomplish great things.

The concept of organizing competitions has deeply rooted in people's hearts

As night falls, the lanterns begin to shine. Looking down from the air at the south bank of the Qiantang River, the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Sports Center Gymnasium and Swimming Pool are like a colorful butterfly flapping its wings, complementing the main sports stadium of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center, the "Big Lotus".

Since the successful bidding in September 2015, the Hangzhou Asian Games has established the concept of "green, intelligent, frugal, and civilized" in hosting. Green has become the main color tone and distinctive feature of the Hangzhou Asian Games. From venue planning and construction, energy coordination and utilization, to transportation support and event organization and operation, all highlight a strong sense of greenery.

As the birthplace of the concept of "green mountains and clear waters are as valuable as gold and silver", Zhejiang has always placed "green" at the top of the competition concept in the preparation process. Introduce the "No Waste Asian Games" Action Plan, promote the construction of 16 "No Waste Asian Games Cells" demonstration sites, and make every effort to create the world's first large-scale "No Waste" competition; The "scenery" thousands of miles away is delivered to the host city of the Asian Games, and "green electricity" illuminates 56 competition venues... The green concept is integrated into all aspects of the Asian Games preparation, allowing the world to see "China's innovation and action power in depicting the future with green".

The concept of intelligent competition was first proposed in the history of the Asian Games, and numerous technological achievements and cutting-edge technologies were widely applied throughout the entire process of preparing for the Asian Games.

At this Asian Games, the power of intelligence can be fully felt in various aspects such as venue support, event operation, and cloud services. The core system of the Asian Games, built on cloud computing technology, provides a powerful data processing platform for athletes, staff, spectators, and more; Viewers can enjoy the Asian Games through the "Smart Asian Games One Stop Tour"; The "Asian Games PASS" enables one code access to scenic spots, cultural and museum venues, and buses and subways; "Digital Torchbearer" enables everyone to participate in the Asian Games

The Hangzhou Asian Games is not only high-end, but also particularly down-to-earth. The concept of "running the Asian Games frugally" has deeply rooted in people's hearts, ranging from the planning of venue renovation and construction to the recycling and reuse of a piece of paper and a pen.

The construction of venues generally follows the principle of "can be renovated but not built". Among the 56 competition venues, 44 are renovated or temporary venues, and all 31 training venues are renovated venues; The facilities and equipment related to the competition can be borrowed or rented, and reused as much as possible; Staff bring their own water bottles, eat self-service snacks, and reduce paper waste; The low-carbon version of the mascot in licensed retail stores has reduced the packaging of paper boxes... Simplicity is not simple, but more resources are invested in optimizing services. The host cleverly subtracts, but greatly adds points to the competition.

Guests who come from afar are the first to feel the atmosphere of the host city. In today's land of Zhijiang, everyone is the host, with an Asian Games flavor and a city full of civilized atmosphere.

Hangzhou has carried out three major improvement actions to welcome the Asian Games: urban quality, urban governance, and urban civilization, and held over 10000 related activities; Ningbo's overall planning and integrated promotion of urban civilization enhancement action, showcasing a new style of urban civilization, rural civilization, and competition civilization; The renovation and upgrading of the Shaoxing Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium emphasizes humanistic care, and disabled people can easily reach accessible seats through auxiliary equipment... Both inside and outside are repaired, allowing the city to showcase a new look.

The pursuit of excellence in big strokes, the consideration of small details, and the implementation of the four major competition concepts from paper to practice. Welcoming guests from all over the world with the best appearance and environment, the Hangzhou Asian Games delivered high scores.

Urban development takes another step forward

On September 16th, the Fuxing Asian Games intelligent multiple unit train was officially put into operation with passengers. From car body painting to interior decoration, Hangzhou's urban landscape elements such as pink walls, black tiles, and the surging Qianjiang River blend perfectly with the Asian Games emblem, sports patterns, and main image color "Rainbow Rhyme Purple". During the Asian Games, this "special train" will connect six cities hosting the competition, making the interconnection between different venues smoother.

A train reflects the changes that the Asian Games have brought to the host city. Organize a meeting well and elevate a city. From infrastructure renovation and comprehensive environmental governance, to the improvement of public services and urban appearance, Hangzhou and the five co hosting cities are advancing simultaneously. The people living here are both participants, witnesses, and beneficiaries.

In April 2020, the "Hangzhou Asian Games City Action Plan Outline" was released, proposing eight specific actions, including building a healthy city, promoting urban internationalization, improving infrastructure, protecting green waters and mountains, empowering digital governance, improving industrial development, promoting cultural cities, and jointly building urban civilization.

Walking in today's Zhejiang, the urban gateway areas and main roads have been comprehensively optimized, the street view facades and back alleys have been comprehensively improved, and the cultural literacy of citizens has been comprehensively enhanced. Closely integrating the preparation for the Asian Games with accelerating the improvement of urban functions and enhancing people's well-being, and promoting urban development to a new level.

The Asian Games also bring further implementation of "sports benefiting the people". At present, 51 Asian Games venues have confirmed their post competition operation units, achieving the goal of "returning the venues to the people.". On the "Zheli Fitness" application platform, public sports venues are 100% included in the "National Fitness Map", and the vacancy rate of venues is significantly reduced.

In March of this year, the 2023 Hangzhou Archery League was held at the shooting, archery, and modern pentathlon venues at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Center in Hangzhou, allowing enthusiasts to experience the atmosphere of the Asian Games in advance. As of now, the number of people participating in fitness at various Asian Games venues has exceeded 8 million.

Taking the preparation for the Asian Games as an opportunity, building a higher-level public service system for national fitness has blossomed and borne fruit in many parts of Zhejiang. A large number of fitness venues are embedded in the "people's living circle", and idle urban spaces have become "golden corners and silver edges" for people to participate in daily exercise. The radiation effect of "sports make life better" continues to be released.

The practice of organizing the Asian Games for the people, benefiting the people, facilitating the people, and benefiting the people not only strongly promotes the construction of a strong sports country and a healthy China, but also greatly enhances the happiness and sense of achievement of urban and rural residents.

Asian gatherings showcase unity

In 2018, at the closing ceremony of the Jakarta Asian Games, the stunning "Hangzhou 8 Minutes" warmly invited the whole of Asia - the Hangzhou Asian Games is a stage for sports competition, a platform for cultural exchange, and a joyful gathering.

This concept has received widespread support and enthusiastic response from all over Asia. The delegations of 45 Olympic Committees from the Asian Olympic Council arrived as scheduled. Several foreign leaders came to China to attend the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Sports pave the way and build bridges, promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning. Each cultural symbol outlines the unique charm of the Hangzhou Asian Games——

The Asian Games flame collected from the Damojiao Mountain in the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park in Hangzhou is passed on by torchbearers using the "firewood" torch; The mascot "Jiangnan Yi" consists of three robots: "Congcong", "Chenchen", and "Lianlian", representing the Liangzhu Ancient City Site, the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal, and West Lake; The emblem "Tide" is taken from the Qiantang Tide, and the medal "Lake Mountain" carries the intention of West Lake... Traditional culture is integrated into the design of the Asian Games, fully showcasing the beauty of Hangzhou's history and culture.

The Fuyang Water Sports Center in Hangzhou is shaped like a mountain and rhymed with water, resembling a modern version of the "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains"; The Shaoxing Keqiao Yangshan Climbing Center resembles a "silkworm cocoon" and injects silk cultural connotations... The Asian Games venues integrate regional characteristics, and the cultural heritage of "poetry and painting in Jiangnan" makes people linger and forget to leave.

In the Hangzhou Asian Games Village, a "cultural cottage" has been set up to experience the skills of Song embroidery and celadon firing, to enjoy tea and seal carving, and to embark on a "cultural journey" for all delegation members; The Asian Flower Theme Park on the banks of the Qiantang River, with over 200 species of flowers forming the "Asian Flower Carpet"; There are a total of 50 "Asian Games Cultural Experience Points" in Hangzhou city, with cultural landscapes scattered throughout the streets, creating a strong atmosphere for the Asian Games.

Through the window of the Asian Games, the world once again perceives and understands China. The cultural confidence and contemporary connotations of a great country are narrated through the stories of the Asian Games. This path of preparation is not only a process of fulfilling commitments and promoting development, but also a process of showcasing the historic achievements of China in the new era.

The third collaboration between China and the Asian Games has brought vitality to the preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games. From 37600 competition volunteers "Little Qinghe" to over 1.48 million city volunteers, their smiling faces have showcased a vibrant atmosphere of sunshine, openness, and hope for the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The achievements of the Hangzhou Asian Games have won widespread praise from the international community. At the 42nd Asian Olympic Council General Assembly, the newly elected President of the Council, Sheikh Talal Fahd Sabah, said, "I believe Hangzhou is ready, and this will be an excellent Asian Games."

On the stage of the Asian Games, the spirit of sports and humanities complement each other, and a symphony of peace and friendship is being played——

The Hangzhou Asian Games has a large number of projects, covering different regional characteristics such as martial arts, wicker ball, cricket, and cabatti, showcasing the diversity and inclusiveness of the Asian Games sports culture, injecting new vitality into the more than 70 year history of the Asian Games.

The slogan of "Heart to Heart Integration @ Future" of the Hangzhou Asian Games is highly consistent with the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger - More Unity", expressing the beautiful wish of facing the future and jointly building a community with a shared future for Asia and humanity.

The Asian Games have consolidated the spirit of unity and progress among the Asian people. The Olympic Committees of various Asian countries and regions have listed the Hangzhou Asian Games as an important event of this year and look forward to more sports cooperation with China in the future.

Spread friendship through sports, gather strength through culture, and build peace through communication. As the Olympic flame of the Asian Games illuminates the night sky, the Hangzhou Asian Games are becoming an important opportunity for Asia and the world to work together, gathering a powerful force for win-win cooperation and a shared future.