Hangzhou Asian Games holds the first World Press Briefing

Interested parties from across the globe can begin registering on Nov 10

The first World Press Briefing for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 kicked off in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, from Oct 18 to 20.

The purpose of this conference is to brief the media at home and abroad on the progress of preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games, and to help the media better understand the services provided by the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee.

"I believe the conference can enhance cooperation between the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee and the Chinese and foreign news media and improve reports on the Asian Games," said Chen Weiqiang, deputy secretary-general of HAGOC and vice-mayor of Hangzhou.

"At the same time, we also hope that this conference can be an opportunity for in-depth exchanges with our media friends from all countries and regions, helping us understand everyone's specific needs, improve media facilities, refine media service plans, and provide better services," Chen said during the opening ceremony on Oct 18.

"The Hangzhou Asian Games is both a sports event and a media event. We look forward to media friends working with us to make new efforts to successfully host the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 and to promote the spirit of the Asian Games."

At the largest global news conference in the history of the Asian Games, representatives of more than 110 news organizations joined in online and offline, including Xinhua News Agency, The Associated Press, Agence France-Press, Reuters and other international news agencies, as well as mainstream Asian media and domestic media outlets. More than 400 people attended the conference.

At the opening ceremony, Husain Al-Musallam, Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia, said that this world press conference allowed media to fully obtain information about the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The OCA and Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee work closely together to provide the best working and living environment for all media, including convenient transportation, a comfortable media village, an advanced equipment media center and a fast information system.

During the two-day conference, the relevant departments and offices in 17 functional areas of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee announced the preliminary planning and design of the Hangzhou Asian Games' main media center as well as its media accreditation policy and news and information services.

The committee introduced the progress in the competition schedule, venue construction, and instructions of media arrivals and departures, and reported the present preparatory work.

Participants also visited the Gongshu Canal Sports Park, Huanglong Sports Centre, Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium, Aquatic Sports Arena, and Media Village sample room during the conference on Monday.

A forum for media leaders, a forum for representatives of foreign media, and an one-on-one unilateral conference were hosted by the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee to further refine various media service plans for the Hangzhou Asian Games through in-depth communication with participating media on policies regarding media arrivals and departures, transportation, logistics, accommodation, catering, and charge cards.

The main media center, venue media center, news information service, photography operation and media support service of the Hangzhou Asian Games are all under orderly preparations.

The main media center is located in the Hangzhou International Expo Center, which used to be the main venue of the 2016 G20 Hangzhou Summit.

The comprehensive service area of the main media center, the main news center area and the international broadcasting and television center area have been set up, and trial operations will begin on Aug 30, 2022.

"We plan and design the main media center under the concept of integration as a whole and harmony in diversity," said Xu Deqing, director of Press& Public Relations Department of HAGOC and deputy director of the publicity department of the Party municipal committee of Hangzhou city.

"We set up the integrated service area of the main media center, and set up the main news center area and the international center according to different professional functions. The radio and television central area, the total area of the three major blocks will reach about 25,000 square meters."

Adhering to the concept of sustainable development and hosting the competition economically, the 55 competition venues have set up a media center, providing reporters with workplaces, a mixed interview area, a news conference room and a media rest area among other facilities and services for registered media reporters.

Media accreditation for the Hangzhou Asian Games will start in November this year.

The Hangzhou Asian Games news information service will be fully in accordance with Olympic standards, providing pre-match information services and match time information services. At the same time, through the INFO and myINFO systems, information materials are provided for registered media in a variety of ways such as text, pictures, and short videos.

At the news conference on Oct 19, Chen extended a warm welcome to media friends from all over the world to report on the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Chen invited them to pay attention to the latest news from the Hangzhou Asian Games and to participate in the second world press briefing, which will be held from May to June next year, to experience more thoughtful and detailed services.

Relevant officials from the Olympic Council of Asia spoke highly of the preparations for this event and the Hangzhou Asian Games.

As the Hangzhou Asian Games will open in less than one year, this conference is of milestone significance.

It has built a bridge for the Hangzhou Asian Games to introduce the progress in various preparatory work to news media around the world, and also provided a strong guarantee for further improving the functions of media facilities and refining media service plans.

It is believed that the Hangzhou Asian Games will be a green, smart, frugal and civilized sporting event, providing high-level services for athletes, technical officials, and media from various countries and regions.