China has finished in the top three in the gold medal count for six consecutive Olympic Games since Sydney 2000. With the Paris Olympics less than 150 days away, expectations are running high for Chinese athletes at the ongoing annual sessions of China's top legislature and political advisory body.
The second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened in Beijing on March 5 and 4, respectively.
CPPCC member Zhou Jinqiang, who is also deputy director of the State General Administration of Sport of China, revealed that China has so far obtained 218 Olympic slots for this summer's Games in Paris.
"For some sports, Olympic qualifying tournaments are yet to conclude, so as the qualifying competitions roll on, I believe that Chinese athletes will secure more qualification berths," said Zhou.
2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Zhou added that China hopes to promote exchanges between the two countries by participating in the Paris Olympics.
Wang Liqin, a CPPCC member and former Olympic table tennis champion, advises the Paris-bound athletes to toughen their mentality, while noting the challenges that China's table tennis squad encountered last month at the ITTF World Championships in Busan, South Korea.
The Chinese women's team survived a full-set thriller against India in the group stage, while their male counterparts came from behind twice to overcome South Korea in the semifinals.
"Discovering some problems is not a bad thing. It can help us better prepare for the upcoming Olympics," said Wang.
Liu Shiying, also a CPPCC member and women's javelin Olympic champion, said that she has been busy preparing for the Paris Olympics.
"I don't want to immerse myself in the joy of winning Olympic gold for too long. I have been working really hard. I will give my all for the Paris Olympics and strive to achieve excellent results again," said the 30-year-old Liu.
Yang Yang, China's first Winter Olympic gold medalist and also a CPPCC member, expressed her expectations that Chinese athletes can be models of sportsmanship while achieving athletic success in Paris.
"The Olympics offers a good opportunity to showcase a country's image," said Yang.
"I hope Chinese athletes will also demonstrate their respect for opponents while striving for good results."