Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman will be attending the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on February 4, according to China’s Embassy in Riyadh. The embassy also said on Friday that it hopes this visit will promote the development of the global Olympic field and the development of Sino-Saudi comprehensive strategic relations. The Beijing Winter Olympics kick off in one week, putting sports at center-stage following preparations that have been clouded by diplomatic boycotts and the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced the Games into a tightly sealed bubble. Beijing will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games, and some venues from 2008 will be re-used, including the Bird’s Nest stadium, where the opening ceremony will again be overseen by famed Chinese director Zhang Yimou. — SG