China will remain committed to the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday.
Guo made the statement in response to a media query about the 30th founding anniversary of the WTO this year, as the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the organization was signed by 123 countries on April 15, 1994, leading to its birth on January 1, 1995.
"The World Trade Organization is the core of the multilateral trading system. Over the past 30 years since its establishment, it has ensured the overall steady and orderly operation of global trade by providing an open, stable and predictable institutional environment, strengthened economic and trade cooperation among its members, and promoted developing economies’ participation in and benefit from economic globalization, and made important contributions to enhancing the well-being of people in all countries and promoting sustainable development," Guo said.
"Free trade is the inevitable requirement for the development of the world economy, and its fundamental goal is to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results and promote common development. Engaging in protectionism and building 'small yard and high walls' seriously disrupt the global production and supply chains and impair the common and long-term interests of all countries. China will continue to uphold its original intention of joining the WTO, and work with the international community to uphold the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and continue to promote the liberalization and facilitation of global trade and investment to better benefit the world," he said.
China to uphold WTO-centered multilateral trading system: spokesman
The opening ceremony of the upcoming 9th Asian Winter Games in China's renowned "ice city" will tell a story of pursuing dreams and demonstrate the spirit of China's vibrant ice and snow sports culture while deploying technologies on an "unprecedented" scale, according to the ceremony's director.
The Games, scheduled to open on Feb 7 in Harbin City of the northeastern Heilongjiang Province, marks China's first major international ice and snow event since the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. This edition is set to see record participation with over 1,500 athletes from 34 countries and regions.
As the countdown to the Games continues, Sha Xiaolan, chief director of the opening ceremony, said rehearsals for the grand showpiece are progressing well, and noted that young people are set to take center stage at the event.
"We began rehearsals in Nov 2024, utilizing the main venue and branch locations, including at gyms and basketball halls of five universities. Nearly 1,000 students and various art groups were rehearsing simultaneously. After more than a month of practice, we are now integrating everything. Students and other ordinary people will take the spotlight in the ceremony as we want to create more opportunities for young people," he said.
Sha also said the opening ceremony will feature various elements which are sure to stir a strong emotional response among audience members, with an array of colorful performances which will incorporate advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR), all culminating in the all-important torch lighting.
He stressed the key themes will be about embarking on a journey across the region and on fulfilling dreams and ambitions, capturing the sporting ethos of the Games. "The ceremony will last approximately 80 minutes, and the performance will be divided into three parts. It has two themes: one symbolizes a journey from Harbin, to [the rest of] China, and then to Asia, while the other tells an emotional story of a child's growth, their dreams, and how to pursue and realize their dreams. We will employ interactive imagery, including AR technology. The scale of the technologies used, their duration and the specific images created by technologies will be unprecedented," said Sha.
In addition, the ceremony will also utilize elements which showcase the vitality of winter sports in China and highlight the charm of the country's ice and snow culture, while reflecting the spirit and enthusiasm of the Chinese people, Sha said.
"We want to focus on the development of ice and snow culture, which has flourished across China in recent years. Our goal is to present the spiritual outlook of the Chinese people during the cold winter time," said the director.
Sporting events will get underway several days prior to the official opening ceremony on Feb. 7, with athletes from across Asia set to compete across a total of 64 different disciplines during the course of the 12 competition days.
Asian Winter Games opening ceremony set to deliver on "unprecedented" scale: director
