China's swiming team celebrates victory in the men's 4x100m medley relay final at the Paris Olympics in Paris on August 4, 2024. Photo: VCG

"In a time of anti-globalization, they represent the style of new globalization." This is what Hong Kong-based media outlet Yazhou Zhoukan (lit. Asia Weekly) wrote about the performance of China's new generation of athletes at the Paris Olympics. From Pan Zhanle, who calmly said "This is my normal level" in the face of skepticism, to Zheng Qinwen, who said that she deserved the title of "Queen Wen" after winning the gold medal, and He Bingjiao, who carried a badge of the Spanish Olympic Committee onto the podium as a tribute to her opponent who withdrew from the competition due to injury, young Chinese athletes are winning accolades for their confident speech, lively expressions and adherence to the Olympic spirit. Athletes' performances are never isolated; they show the spirit of the whole of Chinese society and let the Olympics witness the openness and confidence of Chinese society.

Besides the competition results, the most discussed topic at home and abroad in this Olympics is the impression that China's young athletes are becoming increasingly "articulate" and expressive. These young Chinese athletes certainly did not take any special courses to suddenly become "good at talking"; but the expressions that went viral and resonated with people are actually a vivid reflection of Chinese society's self-confidence and high spirit. Compared to their predecessors, young athletes are bolder in expressing their aspirations and pursuits and fully displaying their striving spirit; but they are also more capable of enjoying the fun of competition and sports, while expanding their unity and friendships amid the heat of competition. These qualities are highly compatible with the overall style and mainstream values of Chinese society.

As early as three years ago during the Tokyo Olympics, the BBC published an article saying that Chinese people are beginning to appreciate the charm of the Olympics in a more "stereoscopic way," mentioning several views that are popular in Chinese society, such as "gold medals are important, but those athletes who fight hard are all worthy of praise" and "winning or losing is not important, but doing one's best is the greatest achievement." In the last Olympics, we expressed our great support and appreciation for athletes such as Su Bingtian, who achieved a historical breakthrough. And this year, in a number of Olympic events, we also pay more attention to the celebration of the sportsmanship and the beauty of competition, as well as to detail, humanity and emotions. The Chinese view of the Olympics is not limited to competing for medals; it also carries the desire for a fairer, more progressive and better world for themselves and the world.

Beyond the medals, more attention and discussion around the Olympics in Chinese society is centered on "breakthroughs" and "striving." The Chinese people dedicated their applause, flowers and cheers not only to the champions, but also to athletes like Wu Peng, Deng Lijuan and Zhang Yufei, to the entire Chinese delegation, and to the athletes from all countries who were not able to stand on the podium but demonstrated the Olympic spirit. In some of the events in which Chinese athletes did not win medals, historic participation and breakthroughs were also widely noted and praised. More important than the gold medal is the courage to push and transcend oneself, and this perception has been deeply integrated into Chinese society. Chinese society is now looking at the Olympics not only through the lens of performance on the field, but also through the hard work and dedication behind the breakthroughs of each athlete and in each sport. 

US media outlet NPR reported that the medal count this year shows China has firmly established itself as the big Olympic rival of the US, especially when it comes to gold medals. From the controversy over how the US ranked the medals at the Tokyo Olympics to the close attention US media is paying to the medal table at this Paris Olympics, many have noticed that the US is not as "relaxed" as one might have imagined, while China is enjoying the Olympic experience. If the medals showcase China's hard power in the Olympics, then the performance of Chinese athletes and society during the Games is a strong illustration of China's soft power.

From Liu Changchun, the first Chinese Olympian, to the Chinese delegation's return to the Olympic stage at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics, to Beijing successfully hosting the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, and now to the Paris Olympics, this journey has been epic. It has been filled with numerous challenges and setbacks, but also countless moments of glory and pride. Generation after generation of Chinese athletes represent not only the spirit of China but also the spirit of the times. When we look at the faces of athletes like Quan Hongchan and Pan Zhanle, filled with youthful energy, vitality, and calm, we feel a deep sense of certainty - this is the "young China" that our predecessors envisioned.

What do Chinese sports with such characteristics bring to the world? When Japanese and South Korean commentators cheered for Pan's achievement in becoming the first Asian to swim the 100m freestyle in under 47 seconds, we saw confidence; when Belarus' Ivan Litvinovich, who participated in this year's Olympics as an Individual Neutral Athlete, was moved by Wang Zisai and Yan Langyu's spontaneous hug, we saw kindness. Chinese athletes are using warmth and goodwill to light up the world, and perseverance and determination to inspire others, with China standing behind them. The Olympic spirit is not just about courage and striving but also embodies unity, friendship, and mutual understanding. Chinese society focuses on breakthroughs and progress at the Paris Olympics, while this year's Olympic Games is also a witness to China's openness and confidence.