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1st Ld: Beijing flag-raising ceremony becomes Winter Olympics celebration

Xinhua, August 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

About 30,000 people celebrated Beijing being chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics early on Saturday by watching the raising of the national flag in Tiananmen Square.

Having hosted the 2008 Olympics, Beijing was selected on Friday to become the first city to host both a summer and a winter Games.

Saturday is also the 88th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.

The crowd stood in silence as the national anthem was played and the five-star national flag was raised on its mast.

After the ceremony, people applauded, cheered and waved flags, while others took group photos with painted logos of the Winter Olympics on their faces and arms.

Though the ceremony is held daily, the event on Saturday drew a large crowd of tourists from Chongli, the snowy county 240 km from Beijing that will host many of the events.

"I am expecting so much," said 59-year-old Chongli villager Liu Fuying. Chongli winning the Winter Olympics bid was her happiest moment this year.

"I will be able to come to Beijing in just 50 minutes after the launch of the high speed rail between Chongli and Beijing," she added.

"I feel honored for Beijing," said Cheng Lin, a 31-year-old armed police officer who attended the ceremony with more than 2,000 colleagues.

"I wish for a cleaner Beijing and more blue skies," said a little boy sitting on his father's shoulder in the square.

Meanwhile, people working in the ski sector in Chongli also cheered for the Olympic Games. "It's definitely good news for my skiing equipment shop," said Chongli entrepreneur Fang Yuan.

According to the local city government of Zhangjiakou, the city that administrates Chongli, the Winter Olympics will bring millions in tax revenue and thousands of new jobs.

Professional coaches and an upgraded resort will also improve visitors skiing experiences, it added.

"It means more opportunities for me," said Li Xin, an organizer of a skiing club.

Tang Zhe, a professional snowboarder, said he hoped the success in bidding for the Games can mean more opportunities for startup businesses.

Meanwhile, the facilities need to be improved, "and hopefully more people will like skiing," he said. Endi