Update | Beijing picked to host 2022 Winter Olympics despite lack of snow, pollution issues
The capital wins two-year bid campaign despite its lack of natural snow, choking air pollution and protests from human rights groups
Practically snowless Beijing was yesterday chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, becoming the first city to be awarded both summer and winter Games.
Performers organised by the government, many in matching white outfits, danced and waved Chinese flags in front of the Bird's Nest, the centrepiece for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
I’ve never seen so many people in Chongli. Many of them came from Beijing. It’s a party night
During the final pitch to the International Olympic Committee, President Xi Jinping vowed via a video link that China would "honour all of its commitments" and "stage an excellent and extraordinary Games".
Residents also gathered on the streets of co-host Zhangjiakou and the nearby winter resort area of Chongli, the backdrop for six events, to celebrate the narrow 44-40 victory over Almaty in Kazakhstan. Other outdoor events will be held in Beijing's Yanqing county.
"I've never seen so many people in Chongli. Many of them came from Beijing. It's a party night," Chongli resident Bai Tong said.
"They care a lot about hosting the Games, more than the public imagines. They were low-profile during the bidding process because they weren't quite sure of what the result would be," Zhu wrote on his Weibo microblog.