On August 7, the welcome ceremony of China national ice hockey training team to Russia preparing for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games was held at Greenwood International Trade Centre in Moscow. Zhang Hanhui, Chinese Ambassador to Russia; Wang Xuan, Head of the Leading Preparations Group for Ice Hockey for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games; Artem, Adviser to the Governor of Moscow State; Yelizarov, Director of the Sports and Culture Bureau of Red City of Moscow State; Kabulanova, Russian Executive Director of the China-Russia Peace, Friendship and Development Commission, and Chernogolodova, Minister of the International Department of the Russian Federation Youth Affairs Bureau attended the ceremony. Zhou Liqun, General Manager of Chengtong International and President of China General Chamber of Commerce in Russia presided over the ceremony.

Zhang Hanhui visited the camp of the national ice hockey training team to greet team members and attended the welcome ceremony. Zhang said that Russia is a sports power. The Olympians from both China and Russia achieved good results at the Tokyo Olympic Games, which fully demonstrated the Olympic spirit, improved national morale, and promoted the friendship and cooperation between the two peoples. The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has entered a new era and is moving forward to a higher level with greater momentum and higher quality under the guidance of President Xi and Putin. Zhang noted that the national ice hockey team came to Moscow not only for training but also for friendship. Athletes should train hard and support each other during their training. They should also abide by disciplines and stick strictly to epidemic prevention requirements to ensure safety under the current special situation of COVID-19. It is hoped that athletes and coaches from both China and Russia will forge a deep friendship in training, better promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, enhance the traditional friendship between the two peoples, and achieve excellent results in 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Zhang extended gratitude to China Chengtong for providing well-organised services and comprehensive support to athletes, and hoped that China Chengtong would make every effort to ensure the ice hockey training team’s competition and training in Russia. Zhang also stressed that the Chinese Embassy in Russia is the home of all Chinese athletes and will provide all necessary support for the training team in Russia.

In Wang Xuan’s remarks, he expressed thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese Embassy in Russia, China Chengtong and other organisations for their support to enable the national ice hockey training team coming to train and compete in Moscow. The team can be inspected in a real competitive scenario through competition instead of the traditional training format. The national ice hockey team must learn from its Russian counterpart to improve the actual combat level and competition ability to achieve better result at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Wang said that the training team is confident that under the leadership of the Embassy in Russia and Ambassador Zhang, and with the support of China Chengtong and other parties, it will achieve the expected purpose and make greater contributions to the successful holding the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games and achieve outstanding achievements at the event.

Yelizarov, Director of the Sports and Culture Bureau of Red City of Moscow State also welcomed the training team and wished good results for the team in both competition and training.

Zhou Liqun said that China Chengtong’s overseas enterprise cherished the honour and trust of the General Administration of Sports and the National Ice Hockey Team for providing services to the training team during their stay in Russia. Chengtong International will resolutely implement the guiding principle of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s instructions on organising the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games and accelerating China’s development of ice and snow sports, and follow the overall plan set by the General Administration of Sports and the Embassy, to provide outstanding services to the training team by making full use of the company’s resources and contribute to China national ice hockey team’s excellent performance in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

China national ice hockey team athletes, coaches, and representatives from Chinese enterprises in Russia, Chinese students studying in Russia, overseas Chinese and media outlets attended the welcome ceremony.