By Hiroki Noda,
China's high-tech city of Hangzhou is presenting itself to the world as a potential future Olympic host, impressing athletes and media members, as well as visiting International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach with its sports venues and other facilities.
"We can look forward to an Asian Games which will set new standards in many different respects," Bach told reporters Saturday, following a visit to the athletes' village.
"We see an organization which is making use of all the digital expertise which China -- and Hangzhou in particular with the Alibaba headquarters -- has to offer."
Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies and athletics events, accommodates 80,000-plus spectators.
The athletes' and media villages are both among the largest in the history of international sporting events.
"We can look forward to games which the athletes will enjoy. From our conversation with a number of athletes, they are extremely happy with the conditions here in the village, most importantly with the food," Bach said.
"The games will be organized in a very sustainable way, with a reduction of the carbon footprint, with an extensive waste management system."
Hangzhou was earlier in the international limelight when it hosted a summit of the Group of 20 nations in September 2016.
The Asian Games will next go to Japanese co-hosts Aichi Prefecture and its capital Nagoya in 2026. Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura, also visiting Hangzhou, shared his thoughts on the facilities Saturday.
"I can really feel the enthusiasm, and this is a huge project involving the whole nation," Omura said.
On the athletes' village, he said, "It's more luxurious than I imagined."
China has become a sports superpower, vying with the United States for the top of the gold medal table in recent Olympics, and through Hangzhou it's now putting itself forward as an elite organizer of international events.
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