Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R front) attends the closing ceremony of the second Summer Youth Olympic Games, in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Aug. 28, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R front) attends the closing ceremony of the second Summer Youth Olympic Games, in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Aug. 28, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua] |
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met on Thursday with President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach in Nanjing, the host city of the second Summer Youth Olympic Games.
Congratulating on the success of the Nanjing Olympic Games, Li said the Youth Olympic Games are perfect fusion of sports, culture and education, which offered very good platform for exchanges among youth from various countries.
The Games had revealed the Olympic motto of "faster", "higher" and "stronger", as well as the human spirit of solidarity, friendship, harmony and inclusiveness, Li said.
"Though the Nanjing Games came to an end, the Olympic spirit is here to stay," said the premier.
Hailing the great progress of mass sports development in China in recent years, Li told Bach China would continue to promote national fitness program.
As Beijing and the northern Chinese city of Zhangjiakou are bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympics, Li said the Chinese people are capable and confident to hold a successful Winter Olympic Games, further promote winter sports events and make new contribution to the Olympic cause.
China has hosted a very successful Youth Olympic Games, Bach said, expressing his appreciation for China's support for the IOC.
The Nanjing Games has set an example for sustainable organizations of Olympic Games, he said, praising China's high efficiency and cost-effectiveness in holding the Nanjing Games.
The IOC hopes to cement cooperation with China, and expects to see China's greater contribution to the international Olympic cause, Bach added.
Before the closing ceremony of the Nanjing Games on Thursday evening, Li held welcome banquet for foreign dignitaries including Bach, former IOC President Jacques Rogge, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Djibouti's Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Madagascar's Prime Minister Kolo Roger and Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko.
The Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, running from Aug. 16-28, drew over 3700 athletes aged between 15-18 from more than 200 countries and regions.
The Youth Olympics, a sporting event for the youth of the world, was proposed by former International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge. Singapore held the inaugural Youth Olympics in 2010.
The third Summer Youth Olympics will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2018.