Xi replies to letters from U.S. mayors

A volunteer poses for selfies at the Olympic Village for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in Yanqing District of Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 31, 2022. [Photo by An Yaoyang/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has replied separately to letters from Victoria Woodards and Dick Muri, mayors of Tacoma and Steilacoom of the U.S. state of Washington.

In his reply letters, which were sent on Monday, Xi pointed out that the Beijing Olympic Winter Games is a happy event for the Chinese people and a great event for the international Olympic cause.

With the support of the Chinese people and the international community, he said, China will certainly present a simple, safe and splendid Olympic Games, practice the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together," and bring people across the world together for a shared future.

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows a giant Chinese knot with emblem of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 20, 2022. [Xinhua/Chen Yehua]

Xi also extended holiday greetings to all citizens of the two cities.

Woodards and Muri recently wrote to Xi separately, extending their Spring Festival greetings to the Chinese president and people and wishing the Beijing Winter Olympics a success.

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, Woodards said, it is fortunate for the whole world to have a responsible host country with great organizational capacity like China to hold a safe, healthy and successful Winter Olympics.

Volunteers work at 2022 Beijing Media Center for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 1, 2022. [Xinhua/Chen Junqing]

The people of Tacoma will watch the Beijing Winter Olympics and cheer for athletes and for Beijing, she added.

In his letter, Muri said that the Steilacoom people hold high expectations for the Beijing Winter Olympics and believe it will be well organized and successful.

He added that he and his family, as well as the 6,700 residents of Steilacoom, look forward to watching the wonderful performance of the athletes on television.

The two mayors also conveyed their wish that the Year of the Tiger will be a year of enhancing peace, friendship and unity.