China and India can have good cooperation by sharing technologies and training facility in developing winter sports, as "we have the mountains, we have the snow, and all we need is a good start and then we can create history," skier Arif Khan, the only athlete representing India at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, told the Global Times, while giving credit to the "organized arrangement" by the Beijing Olympics organizers.

The 31-year-old skier arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for the Games, and he posted a picture of himself surrounded by fully equipped Chinese medical staff upon arrival.

"I posted it just to show the safety measures how the Chinese are really protective, and how they actually take the precautions, especially for the safety and health of the athletes," Arif told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that the medical employees make sure nobody gets infected. "In fact, it's one of the best ways they cover everything, so that the others are safe."

The athletes in the upcoming Games have to live inside the closed loop given the limitations from COVID-19 protocol, take nucleic acid tests regularly, and wear masks almost all the time. Arif said that "this is the reality and we have to follow it."

He said that "especially if you are the athlete and competing and living in a village where you have a lot of people, it's good to be careful," but the best thing is that everything is taken care of nicely in the Olympic Village.

Being the only Indian athlete competing in the Beijing Winter Olympics, Arif said his biggest part is to promote India globally as a winter sports destination. "The expectations here are to be able to compete nicely so you get recognized as an athlete from a winter sports country," he said.

When asked about potential cooperation between Beijing and New Delhi about pushing forward winter sports, Arif said that sharing technology, such as instruments used in winter sports, and places for training, such as ski resorts, can be a good start for the possible collaboration.

China and India are countries with the biggest populations at present, said Arif, noting that for sports, the two countries could have some of the greatest athletes.

"We [China and India] have the mountains, we have the snow. All we need is a great start and then we can create history," said the skier.

Arif also has a long history with China. The athlete, who has participated in roughly 127 international ski competitions during the past 13 years, said that his first international competition was in China in 2005.

"The best thing that happened is that my first Olympics was in China. So it has been really a nice story that the start of my ski carrier as an international athlete was in China; and representing my country India in the Olympics is also in China," he told the Global Times.

Arif's story of being the only Indian athlete making it all the way to the Winter Olympics also inspired Chinese netizens, along with his story of postponing his wedding, which was scheduled last year, to better prepare for the Olympics.

If people want their country to be seen on the global stage, they should never let their dreams die; if they choose something in life, they should go for it, said Arif, noting that even if it takes longer than it's supposed to be, it always happens on time.

"Everyone has their time. Everyone can draw a line for the other generation to follow."