China has been chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games on Friday after delegates of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) held a secret vote in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Although one IOC delegate abstained from voting, Beijing won Kazakhstan's city of Almaty by 44 to 40 votes.

Like Us on Facebook

China's goal of making Beijing the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games was reaffirmed by President Xi Jingping's appeal to the IOC shortly before the secret ballot. No city has been able to host both tournaments in the 120 years that the Olympic Games have existed.

In the one minute long video message to the delegates, Xi vowed that if Beijing is chosen to host the games, the government would support efforts to ensure the event is "fantastic". 

"Let me assure you that if you choose Beijing, the Chinese people will present to the world a fantastic, extraordinary and excellent Olympic Winter Games," President Xi said.

Xi added that the event "will boost exchanges and mutual understanding between the Chinese and other civilizations of the world and encourage more than 1.3 billion Chinese to engage in winter sports with interest and passion."

He added that China is willing to fulfill its commitments to the 2020 Olympic agenda and implement reforms that will make the tournaments cheaper and sustainable.

Beijing's bid committee released a statement of gratitude to the IOC for choosing the city as the venue for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic games.

The committee added that the IOC has expressed faith in Beijing and the city will not disappoint them in organizing a befitting show.

"This will be a memorable event at the foot of the Great Wall for the whole Olympic family," the statement said.

IOC President Thomas Bach said the delegates chose China over Kazakhstan because the city's security, reliability and commercial vastness has been proven.

"It's really a safe choice," he said. "We know China will deliver on it promises."

IOC delegates arrived at their decision via a paper ballot after technical defects with the electronic voting system. Several human rights groups have protested against the decision to award China the rights to host the tournament.

The Human Rights Watch decried the decision saying that China still has to improve its human rights record.

"In choosing China to host another [Olympic] Games, the IOC has tripped on a major human rights hurdle," Sophie Richardson, the organization's China director said."Over the next seven years, the IOC has enormous work to do in China to win the credibility on human rights that will ensure a successful Olympics."

The IOC Evaluation Commission conducted a human rights assessment of China in January. A report said the Chinese government offered the IOC 'assurances' of reforms during the games.

Tags2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games Beijing, Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, International Olympic Committee (IOC)