BRUSSELS -- Ten days away from the opening of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games, the Chinese overseas community in Belgium launched a celebration of the sports extravaganza on Tuesday in Antwerp, Belgium's second-largest city.

Cao Zhongming, Chinese Ambassador to Belgium, said in a video speech: "The Beijing Winter Olympics, which revealed its motto as 'Together for a Shared Future', vividly demonstrates the Olympic spirit and the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, bringing warmth, confidence and courage to people all over the world."

Peter Wouters, Antwerp's Deputy Mayor for Sports, sent his congratulations to the Games hosts.

"On behalf of my city, I would like to warmly congratulate China. China sees sports as a way to become a pioneer, and by hosting the Winter Olympics Beijing has created another first, which became the world's first 'double Olympic city'," he said.

This event included the opening ceremony of a painting exhibition called "Sunrise in the East: Auspicious Winter Olympics", which will feature a dozen paintings and works by renowned Belgian painter of Chinese origin Yao Yizhi.

The artist's signature piece "Sunrise in the East: Auspicious Winter Olympics", will be donated to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games by the Chinese community in Belgium.

Olympic mascots, posters and postcards were also on exhibition and talks, networking exchanges and new year celebrations welcoming the Year of the Tiger were held during the event.