BEIJING: China has chosen its most iconic animal – the panda – to be the official mascot of the Beijing Olympics in 2022, the Winter Games organising committee announced on Tuesday (Sep 17).
The mascot, named "Bing Dwen Dwen," is a chubby giant panda wearing a suit of ice.
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The black and white bear has a "heart of gold and a love of all things winter sports," tweeted the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
For the Paralympic Winter Games, the mascot is a blushing red lantern named "Shuey Rhon Rhon."
Beijing will be the first city to host both summer and winter Games, after winning the bid in 2015, beating out underdog Almaty.
Children wearing a panda costume group together during the official reveal of the mascots for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games at Shougang Ice Hockey Arena, Shougang Park, Shijingshan District, Beijing, Sep 17, 2019. (Photo: AFP/Noel Celis)
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The Chinese capital held the summer Olympics in 2008 in what was then seen as China sealing its place on the world stage as an emerging superpower.
Beijing will have to rely on widespread use of artificial snow for the Winter Games, and
