International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach (2nd R), Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) President Gou Zhongwen (2nd L), IOC and COC Vice President Yu Zaiqing (1st L) and IOC member and COC Vice President Li Lingwei attend the opening ceremony of the COC Office in Lausanne, Switzerland, Dec. 7, 2018. The Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) inaugurated its office here on Friday to better communicate on a daily basis with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other international sports federations. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) inaugurated its office here on Friday to better communicate on a daily basis with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other international sports federations.
"The opening of this office here in Lausanne is a great manifestation of excellent and close relations between the Chinese Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee," commented the IOC President Thomas Bach.
The office covers a total of over 30 square meters, with four pitcures on the wall displaying the country's sports achievements at both Summer and Winter Olympic Games, as well as national fitness program's development.
"This is a milestone for the involvement of Chinese sports into the international sports community," said the COC President Gou Zhongwen.
"Since the reform and opening up of China, we are staying closer to the international sports community and have made greater progress and played a more important role in the international sports family.
"The office will serve for a closer relationship with the IOC and have better cooperation with those sports organizations, which will make the Chinese sports play a better role in the international sports," he added.
Bach and Gou, together with IOC and COC Vice President Yu Zaiqing and IOC member and COC Vice President Li Lingwei, conducted the ribbon cutting, signalling inauguration of the office.
"I'm sure that this close relationship will even strengthen the role of China in the international sports community.
"With this office, you have created the opportunity for daily contact with all your partners in the international sports," Bach pointed out.
For Bach, the COC will "achieve different goals" following the office's inauguration in Lausanne.
"The first one is that preparation for the Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022 will be even more smooth. Secondly, you have created the opportunity to speak directly and daily with the IOC and many international federations on the working level," he said.
Bach added that "you can explain a much better and more direct position of the Chinese Olympic Committee with regards to different topics within the international sports community" and "create a better understanding for your position".
"This will be another strong manifestation of the role China has already played in the Olympic Movement and a wider sports community," he said.
Bach handed over a miniature statue of Pierre De Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Movement, to Gou for congratulating the office's establishment.
"The International Olympic Committee and the Chinese Olympic Committee are already enjoying a very close cooperation. With this office, we can even strengthen that on the working level.
"The common intiative can be immediately and directly implemented. The people can be in direct contact on a daily basis. This will greatly facilitate this cooperation," Bach told Chinese media.
