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VISIT BY CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING EMPHASISES STRONG TIES WITH IOCInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Olympic Museum on 18 January, in the first visit by a Chinese head of state to the IOC.In a bilateral meeting, the two leaders highlighted the close cooperation between the IOC and China with regard to the organisation of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. President Xi expressed his personal commitment to make those Games a success. They also discussed how the already strong ties can be strengthened in the future and how to promote the role of sport in society. “China and the IOC enjoy excellent relations and strong cooperation on many different levels. The historic visit of President Xi Jinping to the IOC is another expression of this great cooperation and our friendship with the Chinese people,” said President Bach. “This is an excellent foundation to write history once more, with Beijing set to become the first city in the world to host both the summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games.”In his remarks, President Xi highlighted that sport is an integral part of China’s national development plan: “Over the years, the IOC and President Bach have made important contributions to support the healthy development not only of the Olympic Movement but also the development of sport in China. I would like to express my appreciation for what you have done. “We have many dreams, the Chinese dream of turning China into a society of prosperity; the dream of promoting the Olympic Movement; and also the dream of fostering a community of shared destiny for the whole of humanity. All the dreams are interconnected and integrated with one another. In this respect, I believe the IOC has a huge role to play to help the fulfilment of all these dreams.”President Bach and President Xi then toured the exhibitions of the Olympic Museum, which featured a display of special moments in Chinese Olympic history.Above President Bach with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Olympic Museum12 OLYMPIC REVIEW