China News

Singer Lewis, guitarist Page perform at closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:42:00.003-07:00

Singer Leona Lewis and guitarist Jimmy Page perform on a bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Singer Leona Lewis performs on a bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China.

Singer Leona Lewis performs on a bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Last medals of Beijing Olympics awarded to winners of men's marathon

2008-08-25T07:42:00.001-07:00

The last three medals of the Beijing Olympic Games were awarded to winners of men's marathon at the Games' closing ceremony staged in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing on Sunday night.

Gold medalist Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya , silver medalist Jaouad Gharib of Morocco and bronze medalist Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia stand on the podium at the awarding ceremony of men's marathon during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Gold medalist Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya , silver medalist Jaouad Gharib of Morocco and bronze medalist Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia stand on the podium at the awarding ceremony of men's marathon during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.
The gold, silver and bronze went to Samuel Kamau Wansiru of Kenya, Jaouad Gharib of Morocco, and Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia respectively.

Source: Xinhua

Badminton champion Zhang Ning carries Chinese flag at closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:41:00.006-07:00

Double Olympic badminton gold medalist Zhang Ning carried the flag of the Chinese delegation at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games on Sunday.

Double Olympic badminton gold medalist Zhang Ning carries the flag of the Chinese delegation at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Chinese national flag is ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.
Zhang, 33, defeated fellow Chinese and world number one Xie Xingfang last Saturday to successfully defend the women's singles title she won in Athens four years ago.

Zhang becomes the oldest woman to win the Olympic title in the sport.

Source: Xinhua

World athletes at Games' closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:41:00.005-07:00

World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the flags of the 204 participating delegations are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Members of the Canadian Olympic Delegation enter the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Members of the Canadian Olympic Delegation enter the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Members of the Canadian Olympic Delegation enter the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the flags of the 204 participating delegations are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Some members of Chile Olympic delegation take photos at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the flags of the 204 participating delegations are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Chinese basketball players pose for group photo in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the flags of the 204 participating delegations are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Beijing passes Olympic host baton to London

2008-08-25T07:41:00.003-07:00

Beijing passed its Olympic host baton to London, host city of the 2012 Olympic Games, on Sunday night, as Mayor Guo Jinlong handed over the Olympic flag to his London counterpart Boris Johnson via International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing.

London Mayor Boris Johnson holds the Olympic flag at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.
Rogge just declared the Beijing Olympic Games closed.

Source: xinhua

Beijing bids farewell to Olympic flame

2008-08-25T07:41:00.001-07:00

After 16 days of burning in the National Stadium in north Beijing, the sacred flame of the Beijing Olympics was doused on Sunday night, after the Games were declared closed by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge and the Olympic flag passed to London, host city of the 2012 Games.

The sacred flame of the Beijing Olympics is doused at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.
Fireworks and spectacular lighting kicked off the two-hour extravaganza Sunday night, summing up the glee and passion the games brought to Beijing.

Thousands of athletes marched into the National Stadium, better known as the Bird's Nest, waving their arms and flags, snapping photos of each other, hugging, and basking in the cheers of an ecstatic capacity of fans.

At around 9:20 p.m., an airport flight schedule appeared on the large screen of the Bird's Nest, setting a scene of departure. Three athletes stepped on a boarding ladder truck with the logo of Beijing Olympics, located on the side of the stadium, waving hands to the crowd and saying goodbye to Beijing.

With tears in their eyes, they turned around atop the ladder, taking out an exquisite painting scroll and slowly unfolding it.

All of a sudden, the vertical circle wall on the top of the Bird's Nest turned into a red track, projecting the most unique and spectacular scenes of the 17-day Olympic Games in the passionate far-reaching music.

Meanwhile, two "sports sculpture" performers started to show various athletic gestures on a huge mechanic "memory tower" rising at the center of the stadium.

Under the watch of over 100,000 spectators and athletes, the Olympic cauldron atop the Bird's Nest, imprinted with patterns of auspicious clouds and wrapped in a red spiral strip that appears like an extension of the "scroll", slowly folded and diminished, marking an end of the 17-day feast.

In the meantime, to the roars from people packing the stands and thousands of athletes on the field, a huge "holy flame" was lit at the center of the field when 396 performers simulated the flame with their bodies on the five-story "memory tower".

The actors displayed all kinds of gestures in unprecedented all-directional space, turning the "memory tower" into a huge "holy flame", which conveyed to the whole world the ever-lasting Olympic spirit of man's pursuit of "Higher, Faster and Stronger".

Highlighting the whole closing ceremony, the show symbolized the holy flame would remain burning forever in people's hearts.

At the center of the stage, 16 yarn strips dotted with lucky clouds rose along the "memory tower" at the stage and extended towards the sky, forming a lucky cloud tree symbolizing friendship and joy.

"It's marvelous indeed. Beijing leaves an unforgettable memory to the world," said Fabian Tetelbozm from the Terra Networks of Argentina.

Singers took the stage afterwards and volleys of fireworks again lit up the sky, igniting the passion for the carnival.

The cauldron of the Beijing Games was ignited on Aug. 8 by former gymnastics star Li Ning at the opening ceremony. The triple gold medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, who is now a successful entrepreneur, took a stunt-like and painstaking journey around the top of the stadium, before setting ablaze the giant cauldron.

Source: Xinhua

Domingo and Chinese singer Song perform together at Beijing Olympics closing

2008-08-25T07:40:00.002-07:00

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo and Chinese top female singer Song Zuying jointly presented a song entitled "The Flame of Love" at Sunday's Beijing Olympics closing ceremony, echoing the tender theme song "You and Me" at the opening ceremony.

Chinese soprano Song Zuying and Spanish tenor Placido Dominggo perform at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.
"Tonight I will walk to your side/ I will fly with you/ With you soaring through the sky." The romantic and emotional lyrics alternated between Chinese and English reminded the 90,000 audience in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest.

The Beijing Olympic Games theme song "You and Me" also comprises lines in both languages and was jointly performed by Chinese pop singer Liu Huan and British soprano Sarah Brightman.

Lasting about five minutes with twenty-two lines, "The Flame of Love" eulogizes the passion in love and "beautiful and boundless romance", with a flowing melody and exquisite lyrics.

"The Flame of Love" lauds the common love of the human being that goes beyond the boundary of nationality and civilization and "lights the fire in the heart" of all people alike, continuing the leitmotif of harmony and unity of the whole world enshrined in the theme song, but in a more passionate way.

When the emotional music was played, the whole stadium was lit into romance. Luminous props in the hands of more than 90,000 audience moved rhythmically.

The lyrics were created by Chinese writers Song Xiaoming and Yuan Yuan. While the music was produced by Chinese top composer Bian Liunian and Klaus Badelt of Germany, who co-produced the score to Hollywood box office hit "Gladiator".

Spanish operatic tenor Placido Domingo, born in 1941, is well known for his versatile and strong voice. Possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range, he is hailed as one of the world's three top class tenors, with Luciano Pavarotti, who died with cancer in 2007 and Jose Carreras, who also hails from Spain.

In 1968, Domingo's performance in the opera Adriana Lecouvreur, staged in New York Metropolitan Opera, was a great success. In 1974 and 1975, Domingo sang the role of Othello in Othello and the role of Aragon in Sicilian Vespers, two most difficult tenor roles in Verdi's operas.

Song Zuying, one of the best female singers in China and also bearer of the Beijing Olympic torch relay, was born in Guzhang County, Hunan Province in August 1966.

Song has won numerous prizes of various competitions for vocal music and performed in Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada and southeast Asia. In 2006, her CD "The Diva Goes to the Movies: A Centennial Celebration of Chinese Film Song" was nominated for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in the category of Best Classical Crossover Album.

Source: Xinhua

London stages eight-minute Olympic handover performance

2008-08-25T07:40:00.001-07:00

The photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows a red double-decker bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China.

The photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows a red double-decker bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China.

Singer Leona Lewis and guitarist Jimmy Page perform on a bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Hungary beats U.S. to win Olympic water polo gold

2008-08-25T07:39:00.001-07:00

Tamas Varga of Hungary shoots during men's water polo gold medal match at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 24, 2008. Hungary defeated the United States and won the gold.
Hungary beat the United States 14-10 to win the Olympic men's water polo gold meda in Beijing on Sunday.

Serbia beat Montenegro 6-4 for the bronze.

Source: Xinhua

United States wins men's basketball Olympic gold

2008-08-25T07:38:00.006-07:00

The United States defeated Spain 118-107 to take the men's basketball gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on Sunday.

Kobe Bryant of the U.S. dunks the ball during Men's Gold Medal Game- Game 76 between Spain and the United States of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games basketball event at Olympic Basketball Gymnasium in Beijing, China, Aug. 24, 2008. The U.S. beat Spain and won the gold medal of the event.

The United States defeated Spain 118-107 to take the men's basketball gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 24.

The United States defeated Spain 118-107 to take the men's basketball gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 24.
The bronze medal went to Argentina who downed Lithuania 87-75.

Source: Xinhua

Countdown to closing ceremony of Olympic Games

2008-08-25T07:38:00.005-07:00

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows an interior view of the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, capital of China. Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony will begin at the stadium at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

Actors and working staff prepare before the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Artists perform ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Artists perform ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008. The closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics will begin at 8 p.m. sharp here on Sunday.

Actors and working staff prepare before the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Closing ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games begins

2008-08-25T07:38:00.003-07:00

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the fireworks of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

The closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games began in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, in northern Beijing at 8 p.m. on Sunday.

The gala began amid a display of fireworks that form a huge circle in the sky which symbolizes the complete success of the Beijing Games.

In traditional Chinese culture, circle is a symbol of perfection, harmony and renewal.

The countdown to the closing ceremony started from the number 29, indicating the 29th Olympic Games.

All the audience joined the countdown from 10, while the numbers were displayed by firework explosions in the sky.

The Bird's Nest has a seating capacity of 91,000.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows a view of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the performance of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the performance of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the scene of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the fireworks of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The building on the left is the National Aquatic Center, or the Water Cube. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the fireworks of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The building on the left is the National Aquatic Center, or the Water Cube. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday. Xinhua Photo)

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the scene of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the scene of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the scene of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.
Source: Xinhua

EU congratulates athletes for their performances in Beijing

2008-08-25T07:38:00.001-07:00

The European Union congratulated on Sunday the athletes from all EU member countries for their excellent performances during the Beijing Olympic Games.

"On behalf of the European Commission, I want to congratulate the hundreds of European athletes who have participated in the Beijing Olympic Games," Jan Figel, European commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, said in a statement.

"The past two weeks have provided European athletes with yet another opportunity to show themselves at their best, and they have certainly not disappointed millions of supporters," the statement said.

"European athletes have not only delivered excellence in competitions as testified in the individual achievements of each participating countries, but they have also demonstrated that team work and fair play are key values to the sporting community of our continent, and to all Europeans," he said.

Figel said the values should be alive not only in the stadium, but also in schools, playgrounds and all the other places where people meet to play or compete.

The commissioner also expressed his longing for the next Olympics, saying that the whole of Europe is looking forward to the great event to be held in London in 2012.

Source:Xinhua

Games Review: Hosts China up, Russia down in Beijing Games

2008-08-25T07:37:00.007-07:00

Beijing will be remembered for China's tremendous breakthrough, the 43 world records here being refreshed and the heroically personal performance by Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt after 16 action-packed days of Olympic Games.

Over 10,500 athletes competing for 906 medals in 28 different sports will say goodbye to the Beijing Games, concluding what was the most watched and competitive Olympics ever, here Sunday evening when the flame that has been blazing for 17 days above the Bird's Nest is snuffed out.

Shall their marks be cherished forever in Beijing as well as in the Olympic history.

Fifty-five countries and regions have been listed on the final gold medal table, and the number amounts to 87 as it went to count on the delegations having won a medal at least, seven more than the previous high in the Sydney Olympic Games eight years ago.

Forty-three world records have been set, while more than 120 Olympic marks have been established.

China, which won 32 golds four years ago in Athens, have claimed a haul of 51 titles to top the gold medal tally, which in general views marks the most accepted measure of Olympic supremacy.

It's the first time in history for China to lead the category, which makes the host nation a most success in two decades since the Soviet Union won 55 in the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

Also, the United States came out the winner, from a different view, by winning 110 medal in all, eight more than that they won four years ago, to break their own record of total medals in a non-boycotted Olympics.

And their gold medal collection marked the second with 36, only trailing the Chinese.

Russia, regarded the delegation with the biggest setback, has down from 27 golds and 92 medals in total four years ago in Athens to 23 golds and 72 medals in all.

A remarkable improvement has been achieved by Britain, which took over the flag from Beijing for next Olympics in London, as they had its best Olympics in a century with 19 gold medals and sat on the fourth following Team Russia.

There're three other nations claimed more than ten gold medals, namingly Germany, Australia and South Korea, making the total number of golds won by the top seven delegations amounted to 172, bettering half of the gold medals in offer.

It was also a forever remembered Olympics for outstanding individuals here.

The Beijing Games have come a coronation for the 23-year-old swimmer Phelps from the United States and the 22-year-old sprinter Bolt of Jamaica, who transformed themselves from notable names within their own sports into global sporting superstars in the past two weeks.

Phelps' relentless brilliance defied history and science as the seven world records and eight golds piled up in the Water Cube, while Bolt glided gloriously clear in the 100m before he worked his golden spikes off in the 200m.

And Britain have their own heroine as Rebecca Adlington won the country's first female swimming gold since 1962.

TREMENDOUS BREAKTHROUGH

Fielding a 639-athlete delegation, China came out the seventh tally leader in history, beating the all-time leaders U. S. and Russia.

The nation has been spread over 17 different events to win 100 medals, including 21 silvers and 28 bronze adding to 51 golds, though only one gold in the medal-rich sports of athletics and swimming having been won by the hosts.

China dominated both the men's and women's weightlifting, pulling down eight golds, only one less than gymnastics. Other traditional sports of the country have also been guaranteed in diving, table tennis and badminton.

More notably, the host nation won its first ever in sailing, beach volleyball and field hockey, in addition to the five in shooting and solos in archery, fencing, rowing, canoeing, swimming, and taekwondo.

Source:Xinhua

Media: Unprecedented Beijing Olympics has special meaning to Afghanistan

2008-08-25T07:37:00.005-07:00

The Afghan private TV channel Saba broadcast the closing ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games alive on Sunday, and said the unprecedented and impressive Olympics is specially meaningful to the war-torn Afghanistan as a historic Olympic medal has been attained.

"The post-Taliban country has seized the 21st place among over 200 countries by its first ever bronze medal of Taewondo in Beijing," Saba TV said.

"The bronze medalist Rohullah Nikpay is the pride of whole Afghanistan and his success shows the capability of the Afghan people to the rest of the world," it said.

Peikar Farhad, an Afghan journalist told Xinhua, it is the first time he felt so "involved" as the Olympic Games was held in the neighboring China.

"Despite all kinds of difficulties before the Games' opening," he said," the Chinese people showed the China Power to overcome all problems and made a great Olympic Games."

"It is really international and impressive," Abdul Haleem, another Afghan media person said, "it shows the capability of Chinese people."

Source:Xinhua

Feature: Beijing Olympics ends with joy and passion

2008-08-25T07:37:00.003-07:00

Drums thundered. Fireworks exploded. Hands held. Arms extended... As the Olympic flame went out at the Bird's Nest, Beijing turned the closing ceremony into a jolly farewell party.

The closing extravaganza opened at 8:00 p.m. with more than 90,000 audience packing the stadium counting down from the number of "29", indicating the 29th Olympic Games.

Fireworks burst on top of the Bird's Nest as the countdown ended, forming a great circle in the sky, leaving the audience in raptures.

From "heavenly drums", silver bell danced to men flying in the air on wires. The host combined folk dances with modern techniques, staging an ebullient show of Chinese pride and imagination.

Amid thundering music and roaring cheers, hundreds of athletes from 204 countries and regions walked into the stadium en masse. They mingled in the center of the stadium, laughing, shouting, jumping, hugging...turning the evening gathering into a fun party.

China's basketball superstar Yao Ming, easily recognizable in the crowd, was busy shaking hands, taking photos and receiving hugs from other athletes.

A touching moment came when 12 representatives of volunteers, led by 12 children, walked to the center of the stadium and were presented flowers by the new IOC members of the Athletes' Commission.

"I've never expected this. I am glad that our efforts are appreciated," said Peking University student Tan Yini with a big smile on face, while watching the ceremony from the press tribune.

"I enjoyed so much helping journalists and watching them work over the past days. I feel sad that this is all over and I probably will never see them again," said Tan, a volunteer from the press operations at the Bird's Nest.

During the Games, about 100,000 Olympic volunteers were working day and night, helping athletes, officials, reporters, spectators and tourists in Beijing and the six co-host cities.

Jacques Rogge, the IOC president, paid "particular homage to the thousands of volunteers for their remarkable dedication, patience and endless smiles" in his message to the closing ceremony. "You made the Games," said Rogge.

After the Olympic flag was lowered and handed over to London, the 2008 Olympic host staged a short ceremony to showcase the British enthusiasm. British famed footballer David Beckham stirred up the audience as he showed up and kicked off a football to mark the start of London's Olympic journey.

At 21:25, the Olympic flame slowly went out and a huge "memory tower" elevated at the center of the field with nearly 400 performances simulating the flame on it. The audience, waving luminous props in the hands, swung rhythmically and formed a sky with glittering stars.

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo and Chinese singer Song Zuying brought the audience into ecstasy with their emotional performance of the Flame of Love.

The evening pageant ended in a dancing party as audience and athletes swung to the chorus of a group of Chinese singers, chanting "come, come, please stay.. Tonight, guests from afar, please stay..."

As an old Chinese saying says, all good things must come to an end. To many who have come to Beijing with scrutinizing eyes, the Beijing Games ended well.

"There were very few problems in the Beijing Games. Transportation, organizing, logistics, volunteer services... All better than the games I've been to," Al Pryzbylkowski, a staff with the U.S. magazine Newsweek, said at the closing ceremony.

"Every Games has its flavor. China is certainly impressive in its own way," said the 12-time Olympic participant.

Source:Xinhua

Chinese students in Japan hail success of Beijing Olympics

2008-08-25T07:37:00.001-07:00

Dozens of Chinese students studying in Japan rallied Sunday to celebrate the success of the Beijing Olympics.

More than 70 representatives of Chinese students from around Japan gathered at the education section of the Chinese embassy to exchange their ideas about the successful Beijing Games and watch the the Games' closing ceremony.

"The successive gold medals won by the Chinese athletes and intensive coverage by world media of the Games got across to me the fact that China has grown much stronger," said Li Guangzhe, chairman of the Chinese Students in Japan Friendship Association.

He said the success of the Games go far beyond merely sports, but an indication of China's economic growth and cultural advance.

Zhang Bi, a doctorate student at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology and one of the three Chinese torch-bearers at the Olympic flame relay's Nagano stop, said the Beijing Olympics has demonstrated the Olympic spirits throughout the whole process and presented to the world a real and vivid image of China.

Han Bing, another doctorate student, said her Japanese teachers and fellow student were all impressed by the opening ceremony, wonderful venues and volunteers. She said they were convinced that the Beijing Games, held in the most populous country in the world, will leave great spiritual asset to China in the same way that the Tokyo Olympiad did.

Source:Xinhua

New Yorkers expect for Beijing Olympic closing ceremony broadccast

2008-08-25T07:36:00.004-07:00

TV viewers in the United States will have to wait for 12 hours to see the extravaganza of the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympiad on Sunday night local time, but expectations are running high.

On New York's Times Square, police officer Jasmine Murry expects big crowds before the large screen of National Broadcasting Company , which owns the exclusive broadcast rights to the Beijing Olympics.

"This is Times Square, the 'crossroads of the world,'" Murry said. "Everyone, every country stands right here, looking at the big TV."

At "Wang Chen Table Tennis Club" several blocks west of New York's Central Park, the mood has been joyous since Wang Chen succeeded in making her to the quarter finals in women's table tennis singles, the best Olympics performance for the Americans.

Wally Green, a regular at the club and played in several professional tournaments around the world, said he was amazed by the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, especially the scene when 58 actors performed on a huge globe, with half of them being upside down for part of the time.

Green said he would watch the closing ceremony with friends.

Source:Xinhua

French TV: Beijing Olympiad's closing ceremony unique

2008-08-25T07:36:00.003-07:00

French television channel France 3 on Sunday broadcast live the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, saying the performances were unique and impressive.

An anchor said the design of the extinction of the Olympic flame reminds the audience of the flame igniting in the opening ceremony and will exert a deep impression on them.

Another noted that performers dressed in different costumes of China's various ethnic groups, showcasing the country's multi-nationality characteristics.

France 3 also invited Wang Hua, a former Chinese diplomat working in France, as a guest commentator during the broadcast.

Wang said the Beijing Olympic Games fully embodied the unique charm of the Olympic movement which enabled all its participants to see a real China.

Each day more than 1 million viewers watched the Beijing Olympics on France 3 since the Games started, said the anchor.

Source:Xinhua

U.S. paper lauds Beijing Olympics as "triumph"

2008-08-25T07:36:00.001-07:00

The Beijing Olympics "were a triumph of the will for a people and a government determined to show their skill and confidence," the Los Angeles Times said on Sunday.

"They were a triumph of the will for a people and a government determined to show their skill and confidence, as both athletes and organizers, to a world that once treated China as a weak, servile nation," the paper noted.

"China won the most gold medals, hardly a surprise when a country of 1.3 billion people decides such a goal is important and commits enormous resources to achieving it," the paper said. "China also built sports venues that combined gargantuan scale and striking architecture in a way no previous Olympic host could afford.

Doping never became the issue at the games, the paper said.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge had predicted from 30 to 40 positives, based on purely mathematical projections of past results and increased numbers of tests.

But as of Sunday, with analysis reports on the final five days' samples yet to come, there had been just six positives out of 4,600 tests during the Games, only two involving medalists, none of them gold medalists. There were 26 doping violations in 2004, including three gold medalists.

"It is more difficult to cheat," Rogge was quoted as saying, noting that 39 other athletes were banned from competing in Beijing after being caught by pre-Olympic testing.

The sky fell into the "blue" category, according to the measurements of air pollution, the paper said.

Despite turning an eerie white and then a murky haze that hung over Beijing for a week, the sky actually went blue in the middle of the first week of competition and the sun came out most every other day, the paper said.

"The Beijing Olympics wound up looking as most expected," the paper concluded.

Source:Xinhua

Brazil wins, so does "Iron Hammer" Lang

2008-08-25T07:35:00.006-07:00

There is no loser in women's volleyball on Saturday night, though it is virtually a team of grinning Brazilian girls, hopping and almost dancing at the top of the podium to celebrate their first-ever Olympic gold.

The always-emotional Americans did not bother to control their joyful tears this time as they bagged the country's second, but the first for all the players, silver medal home. A Chinese squad, led by their current head coach Lang Ping, crushed their golden dreams at home court 24 years ago in Los Angeles.

Brazil, playing ballet-like delicate passing and samba-like quick smashing, turned the first clash between the two teams at Beijing Games into an artistic 25-15, 18-25, 25-13 and 25-21 victory.

The ecstatic South Americans screamed, cried, huddled and tossed their captain Helia Souza in the air before they paraded their excitement around the court, wrapping themselves with the Brazilian national flag.

Among all the Brazilian girls, Marianne Steinbrecher might be the luckiest one as there can't be a better gift to celebrate her 25th birthday on Saturday than an Olympic gold medal.

"It's a gift from God. But many many thanks I would like to give to the whole team and our coach," said the 1.88-meter wing spiker who scored 14 points for her team, the second highest after stunning Sheilla Castro.

As a matter of fact, the gold medal is a late reward to the Brazilians, who has long been ranked World's No. 1, but failed to win either championship of the three major international tournament, namely, World Cup, World Championship and the Olympics before.

But the Brazilian finished the gold drought in nearly-perfect way. They only conceded one set throughout the Beijing Games.

"We are the best team in the world, now I can say it," said Brazil's head coach Jose Robert Guimaraes.

With the gold medal, the Brazilian man also made history to become the first coach to guide a men's and a women's team to win an Olympic Gold. Guimaraes led a well-organized Brazil men's team to win the volleyball championship at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

"I'm very glad and very proud to engrave my names in the history of volleyball with such achievements," he said.

Guimaraes's American counterpart Lang Ping also proved herself as one of the best volleyball coaches in the world after the match.

In the overwhelming "Lang Ping Jiayou ", the U.S. players enjoyed a "home advantage" that other foreign teams might never have chance to taste.

It's the second time for the 47-year-old Lang, once the most famous Chinese volleyballer, to lead a team to win the Olympic silver. Lang was the head coach of the Chinese women volleyball team when they became the runners-up at the 1996 Games. She took the helm of the United States' team in 2005.

"She's been our leaders for nearly four years and we respect her. She developed a style for our team to drive us fight hard and we also showed her we can do it," said the U. S. player Lindsey Berg.

Lang extended congratulations to the Chinese team, who won the bronze medal, and gratitude to the home fans at the post-match press conference.

"I think all my fans are really proud of me as a Chinese who is coaching the U. S. team. We actually really shared about our technical experience internationally and you can also see the fans how much they feel supporting us," said Lang, but she declined the possibility to coach the Chinese team again.

"There are many great coaches in China and I also would like to spend more time with my daughter," she said.

Earlier in the bronze medal match, China upset Cuba 3-1.

The defending champion, shrugging off the humiliating straight-set loss to Brazil in the semifinals, won the morale-boosting match, 25-16, 21-25, 25-13 and 25-20.

Although the host easily won the first set, Cuba, three-time champion in 1992, 1996 and 2000 fought back to win the second set. But China's powerful serving and solid blocking overpowered the Cubans who failed to win another set.

Source:Xinhua

Celebrating success of Olympics

2008-08-25T07:35:00.005-07:00

Amid towering ancient trees, fragrant flowers and whispering creeks, President Hu Jintao and his wife Liu Yongqing hosted a banquet lunch for state leaders and royalty attending the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics yesterday.

Unlike the grand luncheon held at the Great Hall of the People on Aug 8 for the opening ceremony of the Games, yesterday's event at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse was an elegant, understated affair to review the joy and excitement of the past two weeks.

"The success of the Beijing Olympic Games is attributable to the concerted efforts of the Chinese people and people from the rest of the world," President Hu said in a toast at the banquet.

"The glory goes to the Olympic Family, to athletes who have competed hard, to volunteers from different parts of the world and to friends the world over who have been involved in the Beijing Olympic Games in various ways," he said.

Hu congratulated competitors from all the teams on their outstanding performance, and said the Chinese people have shared the joy and happiness with friends from around the world.

He also promised that China will deliver a high-standard Paralympic Games next month, in line with the goal of "Two Games, Equal Splendor".

Guests representing more than 20 countries and regions attended the lunch decorated with precious antiques, huge Chinese paintings of peonies and Peking Opera masks.

Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who took his oath of office a week ago, was making his international debut.

Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip's wife, Anu Ansip, caught attention yesterday for wearing a blue cheongsam.

Many agreed that the luncheon marked the joy of achievements and things to come, rather than that of farewell.

"We all look forward to the reunion in London four years from now," Hu said in his toast.

Source: China Daily

Wushu in new fashion

2008-08-25T07:35:00.003-07:00

China's wushu team demonstrated not only fierce fighting and dazzling technical moves during the Olympics, but also stylish new uniforms.

Participants in the Beijing 2008 Wushu Tournament, which ran concurrently with the Games, wore black suits made of Dri-FIT, a new material designed by Nike, which draws sweat away from the body.

"I used to think it was impossible to design fashionable clothing for such an ancient sport, but their work surprised me," said Ma Lingjuan, China's gold medalist at the 2008 tournament.

"The new outfit is attractive and comfortable compared with the old silk one, which would stick to the skin when it got wet," he said.

The sport of wushu has sought to be included in the Olympic Games for many years. Organizers seized the opportunity of the Beijing Games to hold a tournament nearby.

"The tournament is a good opportunity for wushu to be seen at the Olympics. In the Opening Ceremony, we also displayed taiji to the world," said coach Wang Erping.

Source: China Daily

Asian style key to success

2008-08-25T07:35:00.001-07:00

A variety of tactics and a unique style, not just home advantage, was the key to China's breakthrough in Olympic boxing, Chinese boxers and coaches said yesterday.

Chinese boxers showed solid defense and clever counter-attack skills en route to winning two Olympic boxing gold medals, one silver and one bronze - its best-ever performance in the sport. Boxers and coaches said it was a display of typical Asian boxing style.

"We play like Asians in the ring. We are simply more flexible. That's our style," said new light flyweight Olympic champion Zou Shiming, who is famous for the "pirate boxing" tactics developed by his long-time coach Zhang Chuanliang.

On his way to claiming China's first boxing gold medal, Zou's swift footing enabled the former wushu athlete to keep himself untouchable to opponents by staying constantly in motion in the ring.

At the Sydney and Athens Games China's boxing tactics were not as advanced as they are now. China won only one bronze medal in Athens; all three of its boxers were knocked out of the competition in their first bouts in Sydney.

"Over the years, we have not hired any foreign coaches, but we developed a training system different from the West both in terms of pace and technique. Our way of training and tactics are based on the advantages of Asian boxers, who tend to move swiftly," said Zhang, Zou's 54-year-old coach who has trained the Grand Slam boxer for eight years.

"Zou is perhaps the best case," Zhang said.

Even China's heavyweight boxers stick to flexible tactics.

"No matter what difficulties we run into, I always tell my students to keep a cool mind and never lose our own strategy, which focuses on swift counter-attacks," said Chao Lu, a former Olympic boxer who coached 26-year-old Zhang Xiaoping to win a surprising gold medal in light heavyweight 81kg.

The 1.88m Zhang was a giant killer in Beijing, using his counter-attack strategy to knock out Russia's World Championship silver medalist Artur Beterbiev in the second round, Kazakhstan's Yerkebulan Shynaliyev in the semifinal and Ireland's Kenny Egan in the final.

Boxers were also told not to abandon their strategy no matter what happened.

"I told Zou to never lose his brain in the bout. Play as we plan and we can discuss the next tactics in the intervals according to the changes the opponent makes. Our tactics differ from bout to bout and from round to round," said Zou's coach Zhang.

"I am always very calm, because I know I have to stay cool in order not to get intimidated by my opponent and stick to my tactics," said newly crowned light heavyweight champion Zhang Xiaoping.

But what happens when Chinese boxers play aggressively like their European opponents? China's welterweight boxer Hanati Silamu, for example, tried a head-on clash with silver medalist Carlos Banteaux Suarez from Cuba in the semifinals. He lost 17-4.

Source: China Daily

Olympic regatta sails into history

2008-08-25T07:34:00.005-07:00

The Sailing Regatta of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games came to an end with a spectacular farewell party on Saturday, marking the conclusion of what International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge called a "most successful" event.

The Beijing Olympic organizing committee also praised the effort in a letter sent to the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Committee, expressing appreciation for the enormous effort and organization required.

Altogether 400 athletes from 62 countries and regions with 272 sailing boats completed 117 races in nine classes at the Olympic sailing competition. Eleven gold medals were awarded in Qingdao.

The Chinese sailing team won one gold and one bronze, setting a new record in competitive sailing for China.

"We presented the world a unique and high-class Olympic sailing event and Qingdao deserves the world's trust and the favor of history," said Xia Geng, mayor of Qingdao, at Saturday's party.

The event drew wide acclaim from 108 VIP groups, including officials from the International Sailing Federation.

Among the achievements cited were the design, building and operation of the Qingdao Olympic Village, which provided an excellent living environment for athletes.

"This time in Qingdao I saw such a beautiful Olympic Village, which was still under construction a year ago. Great changes also took place in the city with many new, nice buildings," said Gilbert Felli, IOC executive director.

More than 200,000 spectators visited Qingdao's theme park and breakwater - the first of its kind in Olympic history - during the competition, while six observation boats accommodated 6,323 passengers.

More than 1,800 venue volunteers together with 1,000 city volunteers and 10,000 from the public sector donated their time and effort for the competition.

Publicity and media operations went smoothly as 25 media outlets from 20 countries and regions had operations at the Olympic regatta. Almost 300 accredited journalists from China and abroad covered the races.

A multi-dimensional security system on land, sea, air and under the water operated well throughout the event. A delegation from Britain - host of the 2012 Games - came to Qingdao to learn more about the Olympics security.

Richard Bryan, director of the delegation, said Qingdao did a good job.

"London will hold the next Olympics. We hope that we will have more chances to communicate with Qingdao organizers and take some of that experience back to London," he said.

Chinese sailing gold medalist Yin Jian said simply: "Qingdao has been a great blessing to me."

Source: China Daily

Tunisian Olympic official hails Beijing Games as "most successful" in history

2008-08-25T07:34:00.003-07:00

The Beijing Olympic Games is the "best and most successful" in history, a senior official of Tunisian Olympic Committee said in Tunisia on Sunday.

The Chinese government and people have done their best to prepare for the great event, Secretary-general Amar Ghouila told Xinhua in a telephone interview soon after he returned home from Beijing.

The official, who has attended six Olympic Games, said the Beijing Games excels in all aspects including venues, equipment and services.

He said that during its stay in Beijing, the Tunisian delegation has witnessed the friendliness and hospitality of the Chinese people and the experience would become an unforgettable memory for all the athletes.

Ghouila also noted Tunisia won its first Olympic swimming gold medal during the Beijing Games, which has thrilled the north African country and its Arab neighbors.

Source:Xinhua

Performance of Russian team at Beijing Olympics satisfactory: legislators

2008-08-25T07:34:00.001-07:00

Russian athletes performed well at the Beijing Olympics, but the country's potential in sports has not been displayed to the full, said senior members of the State Duma, lower house of the parliament.

Russia "faced the well-trained Chinese squad and Americans who were traditionally strong in summer Olympic Games" at the Beijing Games, Sergei Kolesnikov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Health Protection Committee, was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

Russia's third place on the medal tally is a success, he said. "Honestly speaking, I did not even expect that the Russian team will leave Beijing with this result."

Pavel Medvedev, a member of the Financial Market Committee, said he is satisfied with the performance of Russian athletes at the Beijing Olympics.

"We witness improvement in all spheres, including mass sport, and this would not have been possible without serious financial inputs in this sphere," said the legislator, who described the government's move to raise prize money for medal winners at the Olympics as "timely and correct."

However, Medvedev said Russia's "potential is far from exhausted," and expressed his belief that it will be shown at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in the country's Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Igor Barinov, first deputy chairman of the Defense Committee, believed that Russia ranked third after China and the United States largely due to objective reasons.

"Incidentally, our expectations were more optimistic, but the result is logical," Barinov said, adding that Russia is now confidently making up for the loss in recent years - the state allocates more funds for sports.

"We yielded in a tense struggle, but in future, I hope, we shall finish with flying colors," he said.

Source:Xinhua

Feature: Beijing Games close, but Olympic spirit here to stay

2008-08-25T07:33:00.004-07:00

The Beijing Olympic flame went out atop the futuristic Bird's Nest in northern Beijing Sunday night, marking the conclusion of what International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge described as "truly exceptional Games".

The host nation basked in revelry as dazzling fireworks lit up the sky and worldwide athletes gathered together to celebrate the success of the Beijing Games.

But a smack of sadness mingled with the jubilation when Rogge declared the closing of the Games and Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong handed over the Olympic flag to Boris Johnson, mayor of London, host of the 2012 Games.

"I feel so sad I want to cry," said Wang Bin, a student from Beijing Language and Culture University and volunteer for the Games. "I really wish these 16 days could start all over again."

"Tonight, we come to the end of 16 glorious days which we will cherish forever," Rogge said in a speech at the closing gala. "Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned more about the world."

The Beijing Games are a testimony of the fact that the world has its trust rested upon China, said Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games . "The Chinese people, teeming with enthusiasm, have honored the commitments they solemnly made."

French handball player Daniel Narcisse was the last athlete to leave the Beijing Olympic competition venues Sunday afternoon, after his team beat their Icelandic opponents 28-23 to take the last of the total 302 gold medals on offer at the Beijing Games.

When all his teammates were gone, Narcisse lingered for a while on the field, reluctant to leave the National Indoor Stadium close to the Bird's Nest. The glory could be his last game.

Narcisse, who began playing at seven, encountered the Icelandic team in his debut in 2000. Back then neither Narcisse nor his team were as strong as they are today.

Now at 28, he will probably retire, after years of struggling with cartilage injuries, a world championship in 2001, and now a final Olympic title.

"You were true role models. You have shown us the unifying power of sport," Rogge said of the worldwide athletes to the Games. "The Olympic spirit lives in the warm embrace of competitors from nations in conflict. Keep that spirit alive when you return home."

The past 16 days has witnessed innumerable miracles, with legendary "Lightning" Bolt sweeping three gold medals on the track and Michael Phelps taking all his desired eight golds in the pool.

Their legends have exerted so much impact that, in the host nation alone, everyone has suddenly become interested in everything about Jamaica, the island country in the Caribbean Sea where Bolt is from.

Just type in Jamaica in Chinese at baidu.com, the leading Chinese search engine, and you will find nearly 10,000 matches, mostly about Bolt himself or his sport, sprint.

Meanwhile, American "superfish" Phelps has won so many hearts in China that avid fans are hooked to the Internet day in day out just to talk about him. Online chatrooms have been named "Phelps' posting bar" or simply "Phelpsians", the new coinage meaning unprecedented victory. Many insist the transliteration of his name, "Fei Er Pu Si" should be included in the Chinese dictionary.

Yet at the end of the Games, it is more than the stars and golds that are remembered.

Every Olympian is a hero, and the 10,000-odd athletes from 204 delegations will all be remembered for their painstaking to fulfill their own dreams, and to pursue the Olympic spirit "higher, swifter and stronger".

"We are reluctant to say goodbye," said an editorial to be published on the People's Daily on Monday. "For 16 days and 16 nights, we basked in the happiness and pride of the Olympiad... China's fulfillment of its centennial dream coincides with the world."

The Games have concluded, but the Olympic spirit is here to stay, thanks to the power, charm and perseverance demonstrated by worldwide Olympians.

When the time the Olympics open in London in four years and people look back at the Beijing Games, they will probably easily remember Bolt and Phelps.

We are not sure how many will remember Natalie du Toit, but the story of the South African amputee swimmer who completed the grueling 10-km open water race will certainly go down in Olympic history.

We are not sure whether former Chinese fencer Luan Jujie will compete again in London, at 54. But her comeback in Beijing is certainly a success story of testing one's own limits, though not necessarily winning a medal.

Our congratulations and thanks go to all the Olympians who have made the Beijing Games so much better, and left behind the sportsmanship and heroism that will inspire for many generations.

Source:Xinhua

Spectators enjoy big party at Beijing Olympics closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:33:00.003-07:00

Wearing a Qing-Dynasty style hat, Russian sportscaster Igor Shvetsov had a big smile on his face when he walked out of the National Stadium after the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on Sunday.

He felt relaxed, partly for finishing his work, and partly because of the carnival-like ceremony.

Asked which part he liked most, the answer was "the entire one".

"It's so well-arranged that you cannot divide it up," said Shvetsov.

However, Marcela Saxlumd from Uruguay had her favorite part. She was deeply impressed by the "Memory Tower", on which the performers simulated the flame with their bodies after the Olympic flame went out.

"It's original, and I like it very much," she said.

Saxlumd said it implicated that the Olympic flame and spirit would be kept in people's mind forever.

"The Beijing Olympics is a great memory for me," she added.

Bob Bassett, a businessman from San Francisco, felt the same way.

Bassett came to Beijing with his friends, watched the men's soccer final and track and fields events, visited famous Laoshe Teahouse, listened to Peking Opera and tasted traditional Beijing food during his five-day trip.

He said the word "exceptional", which International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge tagged to the Beijing Olympics, was quite appropriate.

"It's exceptional. It's awesome," he said.

He enjoyed the closing ceremony as well.

"I like the beginning, the fireworks and the performance," said the 55-year-old, joking that if there weren't a lot of flag-raisings, it would be more interesting.

The closing ceremony was totally different from the opening, Bassett said, "It's like a big party."

The organizers had revealed that compared with the opening ceremony, the closing was more like a carnival for athletes and spectators.

It's true.

When the athletes walked into the Bird's Nest, they kissed the camera lens, took pictures and walked around to talk with each other. Many of them were attracted by Chinese basketball player Yao Ming, who stood tallest. One Canadian athlete sat on his teammate's shoulder and shook hands with the 2.26m Houston Rockets center.

Inspired by the joyous atmosphere, a shop assistant in the stadium moved his body to the rhythm of the music.

"It's like a festival. I enjoyed it," he said.

Source:Xinhua

Chinese people cheerful and proud for success of Beijing Olympic Games

2008-08-25T07:33:00.001-07:00

The sacred flame of the Beijing Olympic Games was extinguished on Sunday night, leaving behind numerous touching moments, sports legends, and unprecedented passion for the Olympic Movement among 1.3 billion people.

While the spectators who just walked out of the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, were understandably too excited to go home and lingered around the iconic steel-latticed architecture for souvenir photos, people out of the Chinese capital, even in the quake zone of Sichuan and on the Tibetan plateau, were also thrown into wild ecstasy by the Games' perfect ending.

"The Chinese people have made great efforts and overcome many difficulties for the hosting of the Olympic Games. The success of the Beijing Games has enhanced the national cohesion. As Chinese, we all feel very very proud," said Cering, a policeman in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region.

The Olympic fervor has taken a grip on the highland city thousands of miles away from Beijing, as a large screen erected on the square in front of the Potala Palace is broadcasting the Games live every day.

The Tibetan officer said that over the past 16 days, he had watched Olympic competitions as many as possible, and had been happy to see Chinese athletes not only continue to dominate in their traditionally strong sports, such as table tennis, weight lifting, diving and gymnastics, but also make breakthroughs in previously weaker areas such as archery, trampoline and hockey.

China grabbed a total of 100 medals at the Beijing Games -- a happy coincidence as the country has dreamed for 100 years to be the Olympic host -- and overtook the United States to top the gold medal table with 51 golds.

China's central authorities on Sunday congratulated the Chinese athletes on their "achievement of a major historic breakthrough" and "significant contributions" to the Beijing Olympic Games.

"The motherland and people feel proud of you. We extend warm congratulations and heartfelt compliments to you, who have won immense glory for your country and people," read a congratulatory message jointly sent by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, China's cabinet.

Sun Qingfeng, a retired sports teacher from central China's Henan Province, watched the Olympic men's marathon competition on Sunday morning. "This is probably the only chance in my life to watch the Olympic Games on the spot. My happiness is beyond language as I can witnessing China host the Olympic Games and also top the gold medal tally," said the 81-year-old, who had come to Beijing just for the Games.

"I think the Chinese people's century-old dream has really come true," he added.

But there were still regrets. "None of the 51 gold medals we won were churned out in track and field. So sports workers in our country must work harder to improve our athletics strength," said the retiree.

For 9-year-old Xu Xinzhu, a student in Beijing Jingshan Primary School, the Beijing Olympic Games were a starting point of her dream.

"I watched a handball match this morning. It was wonderful to feel the Olympic Games so close," said the girl. "I hope one day I could represent China at the Olympic Games, in equestrian maybe, because I like riding and often tried it in the suburbs."

The success of the Beijing Olympics has also cheered up survivors of the devastating May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, although many of them still live in temporary plank houses as the government found it would take at least two years to provide safe, permanent housing for every of the 10 million displaced people.

"I saw a kid from the quake zone walk beside Yao Ming to lead the Chinese athletes at the Games opening, which demonstrated that people were paying great attention to us. We shall rise from sorrow and rebuild our homeland," said Zhang Qiongying, a resident in Yingxiu Town of Sichuan, who now runs a tent shop for living and has been watching the Olympic Games on TV every day in her small plank house.

Zhang liked watching women's volleyball matches the most. Although the Chinese women's volleyball team only took a bronze at these Games, Zhang believed that volleyball matches are just like life -- sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

"The most important thing is, you must take a positive attitude toward adversities," she concluded.

Mao Yunzhen, a resident of Bingli Village in Wenchuan County, the epicenter of the magnitude-8 tremor, said that the successful hosting of the Olympic Games showed China is becoming increasingly prosperous.

"If we can successfully host the Olympic Games today, we certainly can overcome any difficulty caused by the earthquake in the future," said Mao.

When the revelry in the Bird's Nest reached its climax on Sunday night, Chen Xiaohan, a sophomore student with the Communication University of China, stayed on duty at the eastern entrance of the Beijing Olympics Main Press Center .

One of the tens of thousands of volunteers serving the Games, Chen had been assigned to check the accreditation of everyone entering the MPC building.

"I have received strict training, including foreign languages, first aid and basic security knowledge. I have been working here about eight hours a day since July 8," she said.

Although it is just a 15-minute walk from the MPC to the Bird's Nest, Chen has only been in the stadium once. As the gatekeeper, she also missed the live broadcast of a touching scene at the closing ceremony: three new members of the Athletes' Commission of the International Olympic Committee presented flower bouquets to 12 representatives of the nearly 1.5 million Beijing Games volunteers.

"Sometimes I also felt sorry for missing lots of wonderful matches. But now that the Games have ended in great success, I think all my hard work and sacrifice have paid off."

Source:Xinhua

Mayors of Beijing and London ascend podium for handover ceremony

2008-08-25T07:32:00.003-07:00

Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong and his London counterpart Boris Johnson ascended the podium in the National Stadium in north Beijing on Sunday night, for a brief ceremony marking the handover of the Olympic Games' host baton.

London Mayor Boris Johnson waves the Olympic flag at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Beijing Mayor Guo Jinlong waves the Olympic flag before handing over it to International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge just declared the Beijing Olympic Games closed.

Source: Xinhua

Full text of speech by IOC President at Beijing Olympics closing

2008-08-25T07:32:00.001-07:00

IOC chief: Beijing Olympics "glorious days" to "cherish forever"
The following is the full text of the closing speech delivered by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday night.

Dear Chinese friends,

Tonight, we come to the end of 16 glorious days which we will cherish forever.

Thank you to the people of China, to all the wonderful volunteers and to BOCOG!

Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned more about the world. Athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees came to these dazzling venues and awed us with their talent.

New stars were born. Stars from past Games amazed us again. We shared their joys and their tears, and we marveled at their ability. We will long remember the achievements we witnessed here.

As we celebrate the success of these Games, let us altogether wish the best for the talented athletes who will soon participate in the Paralympic Games. They also inspire us.

To the athletes tonight: You were true role models. You have shown us the unifying power of sport. The Olympic spirit lives in the warm embrace of competitors from nations in conflict. Keep that spirit alive when you return home.

These were truly exceptional Games!

And now, in accordance with tradition, I declare the Games of the XXIX Olympiad closed, and I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in London to celebrate the Games of the XXX Olympiad.

Thank you!

Source: Xinhua

Facts and figures: Props employed at Beijing Olympics closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:31:00.010-07:00

The following is a list of the props employed at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, staged in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing on Sunday night.

DRUM

The drum has distinct symbolic meaning in traditional Chinese ceremonies. The drumbeat indicates the commencement of the ceremony, and calls people to get together to express common dreams and passion through grand ceremonial performances.

HEAVENLY DRUM

Resembling the traditional Chinese drum in shape, the 1.8-meter-thick red heavenly drum has a diameter of 4.5 meters, with golden lucky cloud pattern on it.

DRUM CART

With various drum styles of minority ethnic groups in China and typical ethnic patterns as the creative elements, the "drum cart" deconstructs and restructures the splendid traditional visual elements with modern shapes, creating a "multi-functional moving performance platform" with unique, changing and modern metallic style, which can perfectly combine with performance.

Each cart is about 10 meters long, 5 meters wide and 3.6 meters high.

SILVER BELL

Originating from the silver ornaments of minority ethnic groups in China, the silver bell symbolizes brightness and luck. Its glittering radiance like thousands of falling stars lights the dream in people's hearts, and its incessant sound like flowing water ignites the passion and fever of the celebrations.

Romantic silver bells and masculine drum formation form a sharp contrast but harmoniously echo with each other.

ROTATING POLE

With "seesaw," a typical competitive sports event of minority ethnic groups in China, as the creative element, the "rotating pole" creates magical and romantic visual effects based on the simplistic and modern concept of design.

The rotating pole cart is 8 meters long, 1.8 meters wide and 2 meters high, and the pole can swing to 6 meters high at most.

LIGHT WHEEL

With a diameter of 2.008 meters, the "light wheel" gives off romantic and pure fluorescent light, resembling the structure of the Bird's Nest. When it revolves in the stadium like a beautiful light circle, it shows the collision of time and space and the human spirit of constantly surpassing oneself and never giving up.

BOARDING LADDER TRUCK

The boarding ladder truck simulates the elevation equipment for boarding at the airport. The all-white truck weighing five tonnes is decorated with the symbol of this Olympic Games with elevation functions, the maximum height being 8 meters.

LUCKY CLOUD YARN STRIPS

There are a total of 16 lucky cloud yarn strips 3 meters wide with three specifications of length -- 43 meters , 48 meters and 53 meters -- in shades of reddish yellow and covered with smooth lucky cloud pattern.

Source: Xinhua

Highlights of London handover performance at Beijing Olympics closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:31:00.009-07:00

The following are the highlights of the London 2012 Olympic Games handover performance at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday night.

London 2012 presents a spectacular eight-minute cultural performance heralding the start of the four-year countdown to the next Olympic Games.

-- The dramatic transformation of the bus into a stage for the headline performers as the roof opens out into petal-shaped sections. The scene inside is predominantly green with lush grass and a hedge cut into the shape of the London skyline. This reflects the greenness of London and the UK -- from green fields, Royal Parks and country gardens to famous sports fields: the green lawn courts of Wimbledon, the new Wembley and Lord's Cricket Ground -- all of which are venues for the London 2012 Games.

The transformation of the famous London bus also provides a powerful example of the urban and practical being transformed into the dynamic and spectacular, symbolizing London's vision to use the power of the Games as a catalyst for change.

-- Appearance of three great Team GB cycling Olympians chasing the bus -- Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade -- enable the people to celebrate the central role of athletes in the London Games, the unprecedented success of Team GB at the Beijing Games, and particularly the outstanding medal haul of the Team GB cyclists.

-- A handover of a treasured English football by a child of the world to a child of London that takes place by the bus -- a symbolic gesture reflecting the importance of friendship and young people to the Olympic Movement.

-- The dramatic appearance of singer Leona Lewis and guitarist Jimmy Page on high-rising elevators, emerging from within the bus. Jimmy performs one of the most famous guitar riffs in the world -- a riff which he wrote. Jimmy and Leona then create a unique duet playing the Led Zeppelin classic, "Whole Lotta Love."

-- The child of London gives the football to worldwide soccer icon David Beckham, who kicks the ball to athletes gathered in the stadium for the closing ceremony. This symbolizes the power of sport to unite the world and the importance of sport for young people, a central theme of the London 2012 Games.

Source: Xinhua

Overview of artistic performance at Beijing Olympics closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:31:00.007-07:00

The following is a preview of the artistic performance staged at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday night.

The closing ceremony focuses on the theme of "harmony, friendship and joy," and consists of three chapters.

CHAPTER 1: REUNION

Exciting drumbeats summon people to gather under the Olympic flag; beautiful and melodious silver bells glistening with bright radiance light up the dream in people's hearts.

The beautiful melody arouses the upsurge of the joyful celebrations; the glittering bright light makes the joyful atmosphere reach the climax.

CHAPTER 2: MEMORY -- EXTINGUISHING THE OLYMPIC FLAME

This performance is the highlight of the whole ceremony. By means of brand new space of visual image and original form of body performance, the spectacular moments in the 16 days of Beijing Olympic Games are shown magically to the world audience.

When the holy flame of the Games is extinguished, a "holy Olympic flame burning forever" performance conveys to the whole world the Olympic spirit of man's pursuit of "Citius, Altius, Fortius." It lauds the spirit of the athletes who strive to excel during the Beijing Olympic Games, and also highlights the precious memories of the Games.

CHAPTER 3: CARNIVAL

At the moment of passionately celebrating the successful conclusion of the Beijing Games, famous Chinese and foreign artists take the stage in succession and sing together, sending the best wishes from Beijing with songs and building a bridge of friendship with dances. All athletes revel in the stadium and celebrate friendship.

Source: Xinhua

List of British stars in London handover show at Beijing Olympics closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:31:00.005-07:00

Singer Lewis, guitarist Page perform at closing ceremony
The following is a list of special guests from the British team performing at the 2012 London handover at Sunday's closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games.

LEONA LEWIS

Since releasing her debut single "A Moment Like This" at the end of 2006, London-born Leona Lewis has achieved unparalleled success on the global stage. She has become a music phenomenon, selling millions of albums and making international chart history.

Blessed with a voice of power and restraint, capable of heart-stopping intensity and a playful light touch, the 23-year-old has topped the charts -- in the last year alone -- in over 20 countries, including the UK and the USA, with both her debut album "Spirit" and her massive smash hit single "Bleeding Love."

Leona has firmly established herself as a modern international pop icon and the future should prove to be an amazing journey for her as she continues to perform across the world and of course on behalf of London 2012.

JIMMY PAGE

James Patrick "Jimmy" Page OBE is a world-renowned guitarist and composer. Throughout the 1960s he was in demand as a session musician, leading eventually to his becoming a member of The Yardbirds. After various personnel changes, the band renamed themselves Led Zeppelin.

Over the next decade Led Zeppelin effectively redefined "rock" music, drawing on a wide range of influences to create a string of legendary albums which have, to date, sold over 300 million copies.

Through his work with Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page became universally recognized as one of the greatest and most versatile guitarists of all time.

DAVID BECKHAM

David Beckham is one of Britain's most iconic athletes and decorated football players of all time. He is the fifth most capped England player in its history, captaining his country 58 times and surpassing a century of appearances in 2008.

Beckham's career began with Manchester United, making his debut in 1992 aged 17. During his time there, United won the Premier League title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. In 2003, he left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid, where he remained for four seasons. In 2007, Beckham moved to LA Galaxy.

Married to Victoria and father to three boys, Beckham's fame extends far beyond the pitch. Noted as a keen advocate of charitable work, he has supported UNICEF since his days at Manchester United, becoming a Goodwill Ambassador in 2005 with a special focus on UNICEF's Sports for Development program.

Born in the East End of London, Beckham has been a passionate supporter of London 2012, playing a key part in securing the Olympic Games for his home city.

Source: Xinhua

Full text of speech by BOCOG president at Beijing Olympics closing ceremony

2008-08-25T07:31:00.003-07:00

The following is the full text of the speech delivered by Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games at the Games' closing ceremony on Sunday night.

Respected President Hu Jintao and Mrs Hu,

Respected IOC President Rogge and Mrs Rogge,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

The Games of the XXIX Olympiad is coming to a successful conclusion. At the moment the curtain is about to fall on the Beijing Olympic Games, please allow me, on behalf of BOCOG, to express my sincere gratitude to the IOC, IFs, NOCs, and all friends who have contributed to the success of this Olympic Games.

The past 16 days have witnessed superb athletic performances and sportsmanship. Athletes from 204 countries and regions have competed in the Games in the Olympic spirit. They have shown off their great perseverance, given their very best in a fair play environment, and achieved amazing results by breaking 38 world records and 85 Olympic records. Let us congratulate the athletes on their great achievements! Let us pay tribute to all those who have participated in the Games! Let us thank the media and all the staff who have worked so hard to make the Games such a great event!

"One World, One Dream". The world today is in need of mutual understanding, inclusiveness, cooperation and harmonious development. The Beijing Olympic Games is a testimony of the fact that the world has its trust rested upon China. Owing to the Games, people have been united as one Olympic family, regardless of their nationalities, ethnic origins and cultural backgrounds. Their understanding has been deepened and their friendship renewed. The Chinese people, teeming with enthusiasm, have honored the commitments they solemnly made. They have realized the concepts of "Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics", leaving a huge and rich legacy both in culture and sport. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is a grand celebration of sport, a grand celebration of peace and a grand celebration of friendship

Dear friends,

The Olympic flame atop the National Stadium will soon extinguish, and yet the Chinese people's enthusiasm in embracing the world will be ablaze forever. At this moment, we hope you will bear in mind the vigour and vitality of Beijing and the co-host cities, bear in mind the Chinese people who are deeply faithful to the Olympic Movement, and bear in mind the smile and dedication of the volunteers. We sincerely wish the Olympic Movement a sustainable development.

Now, I have the honor of inviting Mr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, to speak.

Source: Xinhua

Backgrounder: Lyrics of "The Flame of Love"

2008-08-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

Following are the lyrics of "The Flame of Love" performed at the closing ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday:

Looking at your face with the fragrance of jasmine flowers/

Opening up at the moment of emotional goodbye/

Tonight I will walk to your side/

I will fly with you/

With you soaring through the sky/

So much more that we can see/

Flying together high/

Looking at your face with the fragrance of jasmine flowers/

Opening up at the moment of emotional goodbye/

On this night I want to be with you/

I want to fly with no one but you/

Tonight I will fly with you, fly with you/

Tonight I will walk to your side and fly with you/

Beautiful/

Boundless/

Romance without limit, romance without limit/

Look below to the charm of the East/

Flying hearts between the sun and moon/

With my charming Oriental love/

Flying between the sun and moon/

Tonight I will light the fire in the heart with you/

Fire

Source: Xinhua

Backgrounder: Domingo and Song Zuying -- leading singers at Beijing Olympics closing

2008-08-25T07:30:00.011-07:00

Following is the background of the two singers performing "The Flame of Love" at Sunday's closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, provided by the media guide from the Beijing organizing committee.

Placido Domingo

Placido Domingo is a Spanish tenor. He was born in Madrid, Spain, in January 1941. In 1950, his family moved to Mexico where he studied piano and conducting, and then vocal music. In 1960, Domingo staged his first performance as a tenor in the opera Camille. In 1968, his performance in the opera Adriana Lecouvreur, staged in New York Metropolitan Opera, was a great success.

In 1974 and 1975, Domingo sang the role of Othello in Othello and the role of Aragon in Sicilian Vespers, two most difficult tenor roles in Verdi's operas. During the 1990s Domingo achieved huge success with his Three Tenors performance with Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras. Domingo is known for his emotional songs, possessing emotional and dramatic power.

Song Zuying

Song Zuying, female, Miao nationality, one of the best young singers in China. She was born in Guzhang County of Hunan Province in August 1966. She studied in the Music and Dance Department of the Central University of Nationalities and was a graduate student majoring in ethnic vocal music in China Conservatory of Music. She was transferred to the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Navy Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1991. Song is a national A-level actress.

Song Zuying has won numerous gold prizes of various kinds of competition for vocal music and accompanied the delegations for artistic exchanges in Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada and southeast Asia.

Source: Xinhua

Final medal table at Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday, August 24

2008-08-25T07:30:00.009-07:00

Following is the final medal table after the conclusion of all the competitions at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday, August 24 :

1 China 51 21 28 100

2 United States 36 38 36 110

3 Russia 23 21 28 72

4 Britain 19 13 15 47

5 Germany 16 10 15 41

6 Australia 14 15 17 46

7 South Korea 13 10 8 31

8 Japan 9 6 10 25

9 Italy 8 10 10 28

10 France 7 16 17 40

11 Ukraine 7 5 15 27

12 Netherlands 7 5 4 16

13 Jamaica 6 3 2 11

14 Spain 5 10 3 18

15 Kenya 5 5 4 14

16 Belarus 4 5 10 19

17 Romania 4 1 3 8

18 Ethiopia 4 1 2 7

19 Canada 3 9 6 18

20 Poland 3 6 1 10

21 Hungary 3 5 2 10

21 Norway 3 5 2 10

23 Brazil 3 4 8 15

24 Czech Republic 3 3 0 6

25 Slovakia 3 2 1 6

26 New Zealand 3 1 5 9

27 Georgia 3 0 3 6

28 Cuba 2 11 11 24

29 Kazakhstan 2 4 7 13

30 Denmark 2 2 3 7

31 Mongolia 2 2 0 4

31 Thailand 2 2 0 4

33 DPR Korea 2 1 3 6

34 Argentina 2 0 4 6

34 Switzerland 2 0 4 6

36 Mexico 2 0 1 3

37 Turkey 1 4 3 8

38 Zimbabwe 1 3 0 4

39 Azerbaijan 1 2 4 7

40 Uzbekistan 1 2 3 6

41 Slovenia 1 2 2 5

42 Bulgaria 1 1 3 5

42 Indonesia 1 1 3 5

44 Finland 1 1 2 4

45 Latvia 1 1 1 3

46 Belgium 1 1 0 2

46 Dominican Republic 1 1 0 2

46 Estonia 1 1 0 2

46 Portugal 1 1 0 2

50 India 1 0 2 3

51 Iran 1 0 1 2

52 Bahrain 1 0 0 1

52 Cameroon 1 0 0 1

52 Panama 1 0 0 1

52 Tunisia 1 0 0 1

56 Sweden 0 4 1 5

57 Croatia 0 2 3 5

57 Lithuania 0 2 3 5

59 Greece 0 2 2 4

60 Trinidad and Tobago 0 2 0 2

61 Nigeria 0 1 3 4

62 Austria 0 1 2 3

62 Ireland 0 1 2 3

62 Serbia 0 1 2 3

65 Algeria 0 1 1 2

65 Bahamas 0 1 1 2

65 Colombia 0 1 1 2

65 Kyrgyzstan 0 1 1 2

65 Morocco 0 1 1 2

65 Tajikistan 0 1 1 2

71 Chile 0 1 0 1

71 Ecuador 0 1 0 1

71 Iceland 0 1 0 1

71 Malaysia 0 1 0 1

71 South Africa 0 1 0 1

71 Singapore 0 1 0 1

71 Sudan 0 1 0 1

71 Vietnam 0 1 0 1

79 Armenia 0 0 6 6

80 Chinese Taipei 0 0 4 4

81 Afghanistan 0 0 1 1

81 Egypt 0 0 1 1

81 Israel 0 0 1 1

81 Moldova 0 0 1 1

81 Mauritius 0 0 1 1

81 Togo 0 0 1 1

81 Venezuela 0 0 1 1

Source: Xinhua

Flights delayed, roads flooded as downpours drench Shanghai

2008-08-25T07:30:00.007-07:00

Torrential rain swept through Shanghai on Monday, causing flight delays and flooding more than 60 downtown roads.

Thunderstorms began at about 6 a.m. in downtown Shanghai, and local weather and flood offices issued numerous warnings of potential hazards, officials said.

The Tianli area of Xuhui District had the most rain, measured at 143 mm by 8 a.m., and average rain totals in seven other districts exceeded 50 mm.

The rain far exceeded the drainage capacity of 27 mm to 36 mm per hour, leading to flooding of more than 60 roads and more than 100 homes. Several flyovers were closed temporarily.

More than 600 drainage workers were dispatched to open up the drains, and most flooded roads were cleared of ponding.

An official with the Shanghai Airlines Co. said the downpours affected arriving and departing flights at its two airports -- Hongqiao and Pudong. At Hongqiao alone, a dozen flights were postponed or diverted.

The official added that with the storms persisting, it was very hard to predict when normal operations could resume.

A spokesman at the Shanghai Municipal Weather Observatory said the excessive rain was caused mainly by weather phenomena known as an upper trough and a near-land stationary front.

The remnants of Typhoon Nuri, which made landfall in south China's Guangdong Province late last Friday, also had an indirect role, said the spokesman.

Source: Xinhua

SPEEDO LZR RACER heralds the trends in water sport

2008-08-25T07:30:00.005-07:00

To mark the 80th birthday, Speedo, the world's forefront runner in water sport technology, launched the latest brand of LZR RACER suit, the fastest swimsuit in February. 2008, which has been developed in association with NASA and the Australian Institute of Sport.

The process of the suit development is very long and intense. By taking all the experiences from its previous suits, SPEEDO worked closely with sports experts, coaches and athletes to gather swimmers' feedbacks, which is crucial for the suit design and technological development.

The suit development commenced with the choice of fabric. R&D staff started to look at different fabrics and materials, and tested on whether the materials could work. Speedo has been around the world finding different body shapes and body sizes. A total of 408 elite athletes have been scanned to make sure their body measurement and tested the new suits in Otago University, New Zealand, where SPEEDO's flume is located. The design involves new fabrics that will reduce resistance in the water and provides greater coverage to the arms, legs and even full body.

The LZR RACER, made from ultra-thin, ultra-low and ultra-powerful panels, carries superior compression and gives no seam at all. Low drug panels are embedded into the base fabric to create a "Hydro Form Compression System", which will help compress swimmer's body into a more streamlined shape and enable them to cut through the water with more power and agility.

"When I hit the water, I feel like a rocket," noted Michael Phelps, holder of eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympic Games, who has been involved in the development, "I can't wait to race in the new suit, and this is going to take the sport of swimming to a new level."

The unique design of the latest LZR RACER specially provides swimmers with up to five percent more efficiency in terms of oxygen intake, which will ensure them to swim stronger and faster. There has been different swimming event around the world, and world records are broken. So far 23 world records now have been broken by the swimmers wearing the new LZR RACER.

The SPEEDO LZR RACER suit, which has been approved by FINA , made debut in the world at swimming events from March 2008. The athletes familiarise themselves with the suits before the Beijing Olympics.

Dubbed as the 80th birthday gift to the world of swimming, the LZR RACER has definitely helped the elite athletes achieve their ultimate performances in Beijing.

By People's Daily Online

Boxing roundup: China makes feat, traditional powers wane in Olympic stage

2008-08-25T07:30:00.003-07:00

The Olympic boxing tournament witnessed the waning of traditional boxing powers such as Cuba and Russia, while many new faces came to the stage, including China and Mongolia, splitting the 11 golds on offer.

The Chinese boxing team has made an epoch, winning its first-ever boxing gold, and even two, together with one silver and one bronze, beating Russia to top the medal table.

China's initial goal was to obtain one gold, led by ace boxer light flyweight Zou Shiming. Yet, during the tournament, Zou won his five matches pretty easily except for one 1/8 final, crushing all five opponents to snatch the gold.

It's the first-ever Olympic boxing gold for China, also its 50th and second to last gold at this Olympics.

If Zou's winning is not much of a surprise, then dark horse light heavyweight boxer Zhang Xiaoping from China's Inner Mongolia certainly has brought to the audience much pleasant surprises.

Ranked 9th at last year's world championships, Zhang crushed world silver medalist Russian Artur Beterbiev with an amazing 8-2 at the 1/8 final, and defeated world bronze medalist Kazakh Yerkebulan Shynaliyev at the semifinal, making people looking at him with new eyes.

After conquering many strong-hands, it's not that big a surprise to see him washing out his Irish rival Kenny Egan 11-7 at the final. But his consecutive victories certainly lighted up people's eyes and made him the biggest dark horse of the tournament.

China's super heavyweight boxer Zhang Zhilei couldn't beat his powerful "enemy", world champion Italian Roberto Cammarelle in the final.

Being knocked down by Cammarelle in the last round, Zhang had to face his failure. Yet earning an Olympic silver medal is already a breakthrough for him.

Another Chinese boxer Hanati Silamu was defeated by Cuban Carlos Banteaux Suarez in the semifinal for a bronze medal.

With two golds, one silver and one bronze in hand, the Chinese team suddenly becomes the biggest winner, exceeding Russia's two golds and one bronze.

As a traditional power, Cuba suffered major blows, especially with eight of their boxers joining the last four but only bringing home four silvers and four bronzes, in no comparison with their five-gold feat at the Athens Olympic Games.

Cuba sent a young team to this Olympics since five of their world champions had turned professional. The young Cubans have excellent physical conditions and neat tactical skills, what they lack are pure experience in the international arena.

Russia, another boxing power, only managed to have a narrow lead with two golds and one bronze. Yet it wasn't be able to maintain their obvious advantage over other teams as before, with quite a few of their world medalists being kicked out even from the preliminaries. Russia grabbed three gold and three bronze boxing medals at the Athens Olympic Games.

The world of boxing sees a scatter of power and medals to different countries during this Olympics. Besides China and Russia, Italy, Mongolia, Thailand, Britain, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Dominica all harvested gold.

Source: Xinhua

Best hopeful Zou Shiming awards China first Olympic boxing gold

2008-08-25T07:30:00.001-07:00

Zou Shiming, the best hope in China for its first Olympic boxing gold, eventually made the dream come true on home turf, winning the men's light fly 48kg crown at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Sunday.

To his surprise and expectation as well, Zou reaped the juicy harvest from an unexpected easy final as his shoulder-injuried Mongolian rival Serdamba Purevdorj abandoned the bout lagging 1-0 behind in the second round.

Nevertheless, Zou still has every reason to celebrate his first-ever and China's first Olympic boxing gold medal, as well as its 50th and second to last gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Zou, a two-time world champion and Athens Olympics bronze medalist, got off to a barnstorming start when he pulverised the Mongolian with a sudden burst of uppercuts in the opening round.

He was ferocious in the second round as he came up with all sorts of brutal punches, thrashing Purevdorj at will. With a minute and 41 seconds left of the second round, his rival's coach threw in the towel to save an injured Purevdorj from further punishment.

Within a glimpse of a second, Zou couldn't believe he had such luck to embrace his victory so easily for the epoch-making feat in the Chinese boxing history.

"It was unexpected," Zou said after the bout, "but now I feel happy and proud."

Though a bit regretful since he has been preparing for his final fight for years and wanted to give a brilliant show to the audience, Zou thinks the gold medal compensates everything, like his ten-year hard training, and generations of efforts paid by the Chinese boxing team.

"It's the time to blossom," the gold medalist said: "Now I can show the Chinese power to the whole world."

After the fight, Zou, wrapping up in a Chinese national flag and wearing his famous golden boxing boots, ran around the inner arena in ecstasy amid the deafening cheering from the fully-packed audience.

Zou's trip to the Olympic gold seemed to be pretty nice and easy, with him crushing all the five opponents easily en route except French Nordine Oubaali.

Zou escaped a possible defeat by Oubaali during his 1/8 final with a tie of 3-3 and was announced winner by small points, which was the most dangerous fight Zou had undergone in the Olympic boxing tournament.

In his first fight, Zou danced himself to victory, conquering Venezuelan Eduard Bermudez Salas with an amazing 11-2.

After making the quarterfinals with the win over Oubaali, Zou embarked on a smooth road to victory. He beat Kazakh Birzhan Zhakypov 9-4 in the quarters and washed out Irish Paddy Barnes with an astonishing 15-0 in the semifinal.

Then he got a surprise gift of Purevdorj's shoulder injury in the final and easily grabbed the gold. No one, including himself and his parents, would have dreamed of his winning the first Olympic boxing gold for China in such a way.

Yet, those seemingly easy victories of Zou are paid off by his decade-long hard training and preparation.

When he was little, Zou was actually little in size, short, thin, timid, girly-looking. Being bullied by his stronger pals, even by girls, little Zou had the impetus to take up Chinese martial arts and boxing to make himself stronger.

"When you stand on the stage, you'll immediately feel like a warrior. That feeling is awesome!" he once said.

In 1997, Zou was picked into the Guizhou boxing team in his hometown, and was chosen to the national team in 1999 after winning a national youth boxing championship.

The experienced coach Zhang Chuanliang saw merits in this little guy: thanks to his martial arts practice and a light weight, Zou can move and punch fast. Speed, becomes Zou's stunt.

From everyday practice, the master and the student gradually combined Zou's kungfu skills into his boxing, and created a distinctive way for him to avoid fists and launch attacks.

Using this unique "Kungfu boxing", Zou stunned the world during the 2003 Bangkok World Boxing Championship by winning a silver medal in the light flyweight category.

In the 2005 Mianyang World Boxing Championship, Zou beat his old rivalry Cuban Yan Bhartelemy and won a gold medal.

In 2007, Zou became "Fox Zou" after successfully holding to his champion throne in the Chicago World Boxing Championship, and his boxing skill was vividly called "foxy boxing".

The British newspaper Guardian said Zou "fights like a sparrow and acts like Ali ". Zou has become the actual king in his realm.

As years pass by, Zou deliberately focused training on his weak part: his punching power. After years of intensive training on muscle-building and punching, he gradually gained power on his attacks yet still keeps his speedy footwork.

As his coach Zhang said, now Zou has developed into a comprehensive boxer with good speed, power, tactics and a mature mind.

With the gold in hand, the two-time world champion and the Olympic bronze-medalist finally sees his dream realized.

Zou contributed the gold to his coach and the whole Chinese boxing team, as they have sacrificed so much for China's boxing for decades.

As for his own future plan, Zou said he had thought about turning professional after the Olympics, as that's another arena he hasn't conquered, but he needed to consult his coaches first.

"I still feel dizzy right now," said the excited throne-holder, "because I can't believe this is really happening!"

Source: Xinhua

IOC Athletes' Commission members present flower bouquets to Beijing Games volunteers

2008-08-25T07:29:00.011-07:00

In an unprecedented gesture of gratitude, three newly-elected members of the Athletes' Commission of the International Olympic Committee presented flower bouquets to 12 volunteers of the Beijing Olympics at the Games' closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing on Sunday night.

The 12 represented the 70,000-strong volunteers working at the Games facilities, but also some 1.4 million others who helped the Games organizers in security, transport, information and lodging services.

Among the representatives, one was from a foreign country, two from Hong Kong and the rest from the Chinese mainland.

Gwacham-Anisiobi Ifeoma Onyinye from Nigeria acted as a representative of volunteers from foreign countries. She came to Beijing to learn Chinese in August 2006 at the Beijing Language and Culture University.

Onyinye has worked as a volunteer at the Beijing Capital International Airport to offer information and help to passengers. "The Beijing Olympics has provided chances to me and enabled me to make lots of friends," said Onyinye on Sunday.

Another striking representative of the volunteers was Li Changliang who had worked for the government of Mapo town in Shunyi district of Beijing. During the Beijing Olympics, he was in charge of logistics of 37,000 urban volunteers in Shunyi.

The work kept Li very busy and he has had to often burn the night oil since April. His three-year-old son has not saw him for a whole month.

These volunteers, many of whom are trained to be engineers, journalists or doctors, are doing a wide variety of temporary jobs created by the Games: running errands and distributing games results, conducting security checks, driving golf carts, housekeeping at athletes and media villages, or simply standing there and greeting everyone.

Close as they are to the Games, few of these volunteers can sit back and enjoy the competition. Even the lucky ones working at the competition venues may not witness all the historic moments.

With great efforts and dedication of the smiling young men and women, Beijing has actually looked younger during the Olympic Games. The volunteers won the people's sincere hail and applause.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said in his speech at the closing ceremony,"Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers.

"Let us pay tribute to all those who have participated in the Games! Let us thank the media and all the staff who have worked so hard to make the Games such a great event!" said Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games, in his speech in the National Stadium.

Juan Antonio Samaranch, honorary president of the IOC spoke highly of the volunteers' contribution to the Games and deemed their hard work as an important component of successful Olympic Games, when he met with 130 Chinese students who were on their Olympic tour here early this month.

In response, the volunteers felt it was a great honor to make contributions for the Beijing Olympics.

"The thanks of Liu Qi and Jacques Rogge are not for the a small group of volunteers but for us all. I think our efforts have been recognized and hailed by the people. For myself, I learned from the experience during the Games on how to help others and serve our country," said Wang Anqi from the Peking University.

Wang has been busy with distributing speeches from Rogge and had no time to watch the closing ceremony, although he was just in the National Stadium.

Source: Xinhua

IOC chief: Beijing Olympic Games "truly exceptional Games"

2008-08-25T07:29:00.009-07:00

The Beijing Olympic Games are "truly exceptional Games," said International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge at the Games' closing ceremony staged in the National Stadium in northern Beijing on Sunday night.

He repeated the words in French.

"Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned more about the world. Athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees came to these dazzling venues and awed us with their talent," Rogge said in his closing speech.

The IOC president said the past 16 glorious days will be cherished forever. "New stars were born. Stars from past Games amazed us again. We shared their joys and their tears, and we marveled at their ability. We will long remember the achievements we witnessed here."

He praised the athletes as "true role models". "You have shown us the unifying power of sport. The Olympic spirit lives in the warm embrace of competitors from nations in conflict. Keep that spirit alive when you return home."

Rogge expressed best wishes for the athletes who will participate in the upcoming Paralympic Games, scheduled for Sept. 6-17. "They also inspire us."

He also thanked the people of China, all the volunteers and the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Summer Olympics.

At the end of his speech, Rogge declared the closing of the Beijing Games in French, and called upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in London to celebrate the 30th summer Olympic Games.

Source: Xinhua

Chief organizer: Beijing Olympic Games "grand celebration of sport, peace and friendship"

2008-08-25T07:29:00.007-07:00

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is a grand celebration of sport, peace and friendship, said chief organizer Liu Qi at the closing ceremony of the Games held in the National Stadium in north Beijing on Sunday night.

"The Beijing Olympic Games is a testimony of the fact that the world has its trust rested upon China," said Liu, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games , adding that "The Chinese people, teeming with enthusiasm, have honored the commitments they solemnly made."

On behalf of the BOCOG, he expressed his sincere gratitude to the IOC, IFs, NOCs, and all friends who have contributed to the success of this Olympic Games.

Liu said in his speech that the past 16 days has witnessed superb athletic performances and sportsmanship. Athletes from 204 countries and regions have competed in the Games in the Olympic spirit.

He congratulated athletes on their great achievements, saying that they have shown off their great perseverance, given their very best in a fair play environment, and achieved amazing results by breaking 38 world records and 85 Olympic records.

Liu also expressed thanks to media and all those who have participated in the Games, "Let us pay tribute to all those who have participated in the Games! Let us thank the media and all the staff who have worked so hard to make the Games such a great event."

Liu said "One World, One Dream" in Chinese, English and French, stressing that the world today is in need of mutual understanding, inclusiveness, cooperation and harmonious development.

Source: Xinhua

Germany reaches its goal at Beijing Olympics

2008-08-25T07:29:00.005-07:00

Germany rebounded from a slump in the Athens Games to match its Sydney feat of the fifth-place medal finish at the Beijing Games.

German athletes fuelled their medal drive on the traditional disciplines, winning 16 golds, 10 silvers and 15 bronzes.

The country finished fifth on the medal table in Sydney, with 57 medals including 14 golds. But in Athens, they were overtaken by the resurgent Japan, taking home 49 medals, 13 of which were golds.

The Beijing medal haul came as another harvest for Germany after it topped the medal table at the 2006 Turin Winter Games as the "ice and snow kings".

The equestrian events became the Germans' biggest victory this summer. German riders consolidated their reputation in the saddle with three gold medals, one silver and one bronze, topping the medal table at the 11-day competitions. The success in team eventing, individual eventing and team dressage showed Gemany's overall strength and fortified their dominance in the sport.

German's dominance on the water met the challenges in Beijing following the retirement of 46-year-old ace kayaker Birgit Fisher. However, the 21-year-old Fanny Fischer, who picked up two golds in the 2007 World Championships, led the German paddlers to win the women's Kayak Four class, defending their status in this traditionally dominant event. Alexander Grimm, Martin Hollstein and Andreas Ihle respectively clinched the golds in Men's kayak 1 and 2 class, gifting Germany the other two golds.

Britta Steffen, the former world holder of women's 100-meter freestyle, took two golds in 50 meters and 100 meters, reinstating herself the new leader in the pool for Germany.

In the weightlifting arena, Matthias Steiner not only won the super-heavyweight gold, but also moved the world.

The 6-foot, 321-pound strong man will be remembered for standing on the podium with tears welling up in his eyes and clutching a photo of his wife Susann, who was killed in a car accident last year.

Sabine Spitz, the Athen bronze medallist, gave her nation a surprise as she claimed the women's mountain bike cross country title. The German veteran led the race from the first lap to the last.

In team sports, after wining the 2007 World Cup in China, Germany's women footballers didn't make it to the final. Their perfect defence record was shattered 4-1 in a five-star show from the Brazilian squad led by superstar Marta.

On the hockey field, Germany showed its supremacy and defeated Spain 1-0 to regain their dominance in the world. It was also the Germany's first hockey gold since the 1992 Games.

Source: Xinhua

IOC chief: Beijing Olympics "glorious days" to "cherish forever"

2008-08-25T07:29:00.003-07:00

The Beijing Olympic Games have presented 16 glorious days which the world will cherish forever, said International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge at the Games' closing ceremony staged in the National Stadium in north Beijing on Sunday night.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge delivers a speech at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in Beijing, China, on Aug. 24, 2008.
"Tonight, we come to the end of 16 glorious days which we will cherish forever," said the IOC chief in his closing speech.

"Thank you to the people of China, to all the wonderful volunteers and to BOCOG !" he said.

Source: Xinhua

IOC President Jacques Rogge declares Beijing Olympic Games closed

2008-08-25T07:29:00.001-07:00

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge declared the 29th summer Olympic Games of Beijing closed in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing on Sunday night.

"I declare the Games of the XXIX Olympiad closed, and I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in London to celebrate the Games of the XXX Olympiad," said the IOC chief at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games.

When the IOC chief ended his speech with "thank you" in English, French and Chinese to the audience in the Bird's Nest, thunderous applause exploded in the stadium, with tens of thousands of hands waving in the air to celebrate the closing of the perfect Beijing Games.

Labeling the Beijing Olympic Games as "truly exceptional," Rogge praised the Games have presented 16 glorious days to be cherished forever by the whole world.

By the end of Saturday, a total of 43 world records were set and more than 120 Olympic records were renewed at the Games.

Source: Xinhua

Iranian president to attend SCO summit

2008-08-25T07:28:00.007-07:00

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will attend the upcoming summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Dushanbe, capital city of Tajikistan on Aug. 27-28, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Ahmadinejad will take part in the summit on the invitation of his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon, IRNA said.

Iran is an observer member of the SCO. Earlier this year, it applied to become a formal member while Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhan Zarifi said his country is interested in seeing it join the organization.

"Iran plays a crucial role in the region," he said, adding that the Islamic Republic's bonds with the SCO would empower the organization.

According to Iran's English-language Press TV satellite, Ahmadinejad is set to meet with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev during the summit.

The two sides will discuss further expansion of bilateral ties and regional and international issues.

Presidents from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan are scheduled to attend the meeting as permanent members of the SCO, while representatives from Iran, Pakistan, India and Mongolia will be in Dushanbe as observer members.

SCO is an inter-governmental organization which was founded in 2001 by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Source:Xinhua

Three fatalities amid quakes in SW China's Yunnan Province

2008-08-25T07:28:00.005-07:00

Local authorities on last Friday confirmed two more people died in Thursday's 5.9-magnitude tremor in Yunnan Province, bringing the death toll to three, as a series of quakes hit the southwest China region last week.

Government officials in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, did not disclose the identities of those killed

Relief efforts are under way.

China's earthquake network recorded two quakes in Yingjiang, a county on the Sino-Myanmar border, on Thursday: one 4.9-magnitude event at 8:20 p.m. and another 5.9-magnitude quake four minutes later.

Information from the provincial civil affairs bureau said that apart from the three deaths, the dual quakes injured 106 people, including 24 seriously. They also toppled numerous residences, forcing the evacuation of 120,000 people.

There was also damage to transport, power, water and communications infrastructure, as well as education and health facilities. Blackouts were reported in the county seat of Yingjiang and some of its townships. Some areas got their power back by 10:20 p.m. on Thursday.

The Civil Affairs Ministry sent a special working group to assess the situation and offer assistance. It also allocated 5,000tents from the disaster relief reserve of the central government.

A seven-member panel of seismologists from the China Earthquake Administration left for the area on Friday, to join 50 local earthquake specialists already in Yingjiang.

The Yunnan Provincial Communist Party and government authorities were monitoring the situation closely in Yingjiang. Governor Qin Guangrong on Friday went to visit the region.

The Yunnan Civil Affairs Bureau sent materials including 2,150 tents and 3,300 quilts to Yingjiang, while the provincial health bureau dispatched 10 medical workers.

A team of 1,300 people from the Yunnan border guard detachment, with more than 80 vehicles, joined the relief efforts.

The two quakes were preceded by a tremor in the county measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale at 5:35 a.m. on Wednesday, with the epicenter located at Sudian Township, 46 km from the Yingjiang county seat.

More than 110 aftershocks of up to 3.6 on the Richter scale had been recorded as of 6 p.m. on Thursday, shortly before the pair of quakes.

The livelihoods of more than 14,000 people were affected and 3,400 others were evacuated after Wednesday's tremor last week. No one had been reported injured.

The tremor destroyed six homes and damaged 4,056 others, and many of the damaged residences were in dangerous condition. It also damaged 17 school buildings, 28 dormitories and some communication facilities.

About 2,500 people, including police and government officials, participated in the rescue effort. The local government allocated 100,000 yuan for disaster relief.

The affected area has a population density of 45 people per square km and lies at an average altitude of 2,000 meters.

Source: Xinhua

Chinese ministries allot emergency funds to quake-hit SW province

2008-08-25T07:28:00.003-07:00

China's civil affairs and finance ministries jointly allocated 18 million yuan on 24, Aug. to help quake-hit Yunnan Province with its relief work.

The civil affairs ministry also sent 10,000 tents to the stricken area after an initial supply of 5,000 delivered on Friday.

Three people were killed and another 117 were injured in a magnitude-5.0 tremor which jolted Yingjiang County, Dehong Autonomous Prefecture of Dai and Jingpo nationalities in the southwest province over the past few days. The county was hit on Wednesday, followed by quakes with magnitudes 4.9 and 5.9, respectively, on Thursday.

The tremors also destroyed 11,360 houses and damaged 77,747 others, forcing the evacuation of about 125,000 residents.

Source: Xinhua

Giant pandas see baby boom in China's quake-hit Sichuan

2008-08-25T07:28:00.001-07:00

Nineteen giant panda cubs were born in captivity after the May 12 earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province, researchers said.

Zhang Zhihe, the China Giant Panda Breeding Technology Commission head, said the new arrivals included nine from the China Giant Panda Research Center in the quake-hit Wolong and 10 from the giant panda breeding base in Chengdu, the provincial capital.

The cubs, including eight sets of twins, were born between July6 and Saturday.

"Their births were not so easy," Zhang said. "They are the joint efforts of the painstaking work of the mothers, scientific researchers and quake relief workers."

About 10 pregnant pandas from Wolong were transferred to the Ya'an base in Sichuan as the massive quake, which killed nearly 70,000 people, caused great damage to their habitat.

Researchers carried out psychological comfort on the pregnant mothers who were traumatized by the quake, according to Huang Yan, a Wolong center engineer.

Giant pandas, known for being sexually inactive, are among the world's most endangered animals due to shrinking habitat.

There are about 1,590 pandas living in China's wild, mostly in Sichuan and the northwestern provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu. Through 2007, the number of captive bred giant pandas was 239 in the country.

Source: Xinhua

Woman injured in SW China quake that kills three remains in danger

2008-08-25T07:27:00.006-07:00

A woman who was seriously injured in last week's quake that has killed three in southwest China's Yunnan Province was still in danger, hospital sources said on Sunday.

The woman named Cun Huidong from a village in Yingjiang County, was now being treated in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture Hospital. She was crushed by a fallen wall in the quake and suffered serious injuries in the abdomen.

She was in a state of shock due to much bleeding when being admitted to hospital. Doctors carried out operation on last Sunday morning, but she was still in danger.

Yingjiang was hit by a magnitude-5.0 tremor at 5:35 a.m. on Wednesday, followed by quakes with magnitudes 4.9 and 5.9 on Thursday.

Three people were killed and 117 others injured. The tremors destroyed 11,360 houses and damaged 77,747 others, forcing 125,000to be evacuated.

The county education authorities have postponed the new school term scheduled to open on Sunday to Sept. 1 as hundreds of school buildings were damaged in the quake.

Source: Xinhua

Beijing offers Olympics template for developing countries

2008-08-25T07:27:00.005-07:00

A spectacular opening ceremony, well-organized events and hospitable Chinese citizens all made for a successful Games and aroused enthusiasm for the Olympics among other developing countries that hope to host the Games one day.

"The Beijing Olympics is an achievement for the Chinese people," said Shivendra Singh of India's Star News, who came to Beijing to cover the Games. Chi Michael, a cameraman from Cameroon Radio Television, thought the Games were top-level, along with the hospitality of the Chinese people.

After attending the opening ceremony and watching some events, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva said China set a new model for the Olympics, which would influence Rio de Janeiro's bid for the Games in 2016.

Before the Beijing Games, all of the 25 modern Olympics -- except the 1968 Mexico City Games -- were held in developed countries in Europe and North America, along with Australia and Japan.

The host of the 24th Games in Seoul, the Republic of Korea , one of the "four little dragons" of Asia, already had a foot in the door of the club of developed countries at the time. So the Beijing Games was only the second time that an Olympics was held in a developing country.

"The Beijing Games means the Olympics will embrace more developing countries," said Chinese senior diplomat and former ambassador to France, Wu Jianmin.

Since the turn of the millennium, many developing countries, represented by Brazil, Russia, India and China have made rapid economic progress. For such countries seeking a global identity, large international sports events, like the Olympics, are viewed as golden opportunities.

SEEKING POSITIVE IMPACT

Developing countries also seek the positive effects of the 1964Tokyo Games and 1988 Seoul Games in bringing Japan and the ROK onto the international stage and accelerating their development.

"The Olympics can make a country world-famous," said Michael. Before he came to Beijing, he was told many negative things about China.

"But I found Beijing is a wonderful place," said Michael. "Africa should be known by the world too. If you don't come to Africa, you can't know it's also a wonderful place."

More cities from developing countries have been bidding for the Olympics. In 1993, besides Beijing, at least four such cities -- Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Havana and Istanbul -- made their bids for the 2000 Games.

For the upcoming 2016 Games, Baku, Doha and Rio de Janeiro are some examples of bids from developing countries.

However, hosting an Olympics is not an easy task. It will test the organization, administration and emergency preparedness of the host city and country. Compared with developed countries, developing countries have a lot of work to do in these areas.

Singh hoped that India could host an Olympics some day. He thought it was a chance for India to learn how to host a large sports event. India's capital, New Delhi, is now preparing for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

LONG PREPARATION PROCESS

"It's a long process of preparation to host a successful Oympics," he said. "From infrastructure to administrative work, we have a lot to learn."

Beijing also took a long time to prepare. After losing its bid for the 2000 Games, Beijing further improved its urban facilities and dealt with environmental problems, especially air pollution.

China's rise on the world economic and political scene also promoted its bid for 2008 Games.

In the seven years after winning its bid, iconic buildings, like the Water Cube, the Bird's Nest and the T3 airport terminal sprung up in Beijing. Six new subway lines were built. Beijing also won support from overseas, with foreign administrative teams and volunteers participating, giving the Games both Chinese and international characteristics.

The Games drew competitors from 204 countries and territories, the most in history. The opening ceremony attracted more than 80 heads of state and government, also the most.

"The history of the Europe-centered Olympics is changing," said Colin Moynihan, chairman of British Olympic Association. Moynihan believed the International Olympic Committee should make the Games more internationalized.

Analysts said one of the most important reasons for Beijing's success was its cooperation with other countries. These efforts not only provided ability in terms of venue designs and organizational work, but more importantly to China, Beijing was able to avoid any potential boycott of the Games.

"Beijing's way of cooperating with other countries is an experience for all developing countries," said Michael.

"China set new criteria for the Olympics," said Joao Julio from the Angola News Agency. However, Julio said, most developing countries faced obstacles in hosting the Olympics.

Such countries don't have large sums to spend on infrastructure. In terms of political ability, such as winning domestic and international support, developing countries have much to learn.

WHO IS NEXT IN LINE?

Julio thought South Africa was the most likely developing country to host the Olympics.

South Africa is the most developed African country and will host the 2010 World Cup Football Match. However, he thought African countries wouldn't be able to host the Games for another 15 years.

Actually, the IOC's requirements for infrastructure are attainable.

"The IOC does not advocate building luxury sports venues," said He Zhenliang, chairman of the IOC's Culture and Olympic Education Commission and former IOC vice-president. "If it complies with technical standards, it's okay."

He said countries should host the Games in line with their national conditions instead of competing with each other. The Olympics should showcase the cultural features of the host nations, as well as promote the Olympic spirit and values.

"The Beijing Games give developing countries hopes of becoming host nations themselves," said He.

Source:Xinhua

Beijing becomes most preferred city among global tourists

2008-08-25T07:27:00.003-07:00

According to the Beijing Times, the Australia 21st Century Innovation Assessment Center, a new and vigorous international assessment institute, announced the result of "Global Tourists in Beijing" assessment last weekend. Results show that Beijing has become the most preferred city among global tourists.

From August 10 to 16, the center made a survey in English at 10 places in Beijing, including Sanlitun, Yong'anli, Panjiayuan, the entrances of the Olympic Villiage, Dongdaqiao, Fengtai stadium, Wangfujing, Qianmen, and Xidan. The 992 valid questionnaires revealed that 89.1% foreign tourists came to Beijing for the first time; The Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Tian'an Men Square, the Forbidden City and Houhai are the most popular sites. Beijing roast duck, hot pot and lvdagun are the most popular local Beijing snacks. According to the statistics, Beijing became the most preferred city among global tourists, winning this position by a high margin.

By People's Daily Online

Airplanes, rockets used to disperse rain for Beijing Olympics closing

2008-08-25T07:27:00.001-07:00

Thunderstorms had threatened the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, but planes spreading rain dispersal materials were dispatched and rockets were fired to ensure that no rain fell during the ceremony, said Chinese weather officials.

"Rain clouds from Hebei and Inner Mongolia had started to move towards the capital city at 2 p.m.," said Guo Hu, head of the Beijing Observatory.

"Moisture in the air was at a higher level than at the time before the opening ceremony and would more easily develop into convective clouds," said Zhang Qiang, from the Beijing Weather Modification Office.

"We decided to use planes to cover a larger area, along with firing rain dispersal rockets from the ground."

Eight planes were dispatched from Zhangjiakou City in neighboring Hebei Province and the outskirts of Beijing to disperse chemicals between 2 p.m. and 8:50 p.m.

In addition, 241 rocket shells were fired in nine rounds from Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei to disperse the rain clouds.

The city also set off more than 1,000 rain dispersal rockets on the evening of the opening ceremony of the Games.

Source: Xinhua

Coca-Cola most recognized Olympic Games sponsor

2008-08-25T07:26:00.003-07:00

According to reports, the top Olympic sponsor Coca-Cola released its Olympic marketing record on August 24: the latest survey from Nielsen shows that among all the sponsors, the Coca-Cola Company had the highest consumer awareness, but only ranked third in advertising costs.

In addition to Nielsen's survey data, survey data from R3 also showed that nearly 50 percent of respondents initially mentioned that Coca-Cola is the sponsor of the Olympics; and more than 86 percent of respondents could say Coca-Cola is the Olympic Games Sponsor after a simple prompt. Coca-Cola holds the highest consumer awareness; and has made the deepest impression on public Olympic sponsors.

What sets this year's marketing apart from previous Olympic marketing, which focused mainly on the host country, is that the Coca-Cola headquarters implemented a global marketing plan. During the Olympic Games, the four Chinese "Coca Cola" characters appeared on Coca-Cola products in 160 countries and regions for the first time; and simultaneously launched a huge Olympic marketing plan in the 60 countries and regions. According to statistics, the Coca-Cola supplied 25 million bottles of Coca-Cola daily to Beijing's Olympic vanues, exceeding the 20 million bottles in the Athens Games.

By People's Daily Online

Chinese, Iraqi presidents hail golden jubilee of establishment of diplomatic ties

2008-08-25T07:26:00.001-07:00

Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani exchanged congratulatory messages on Monday to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between China and Iraq.

Hu, in his message, lauded the smooth development of bilateral ties in the past half century, which, he said, had entered a new phase of development with the establishment of the new Iraqi government.

The two countries have increased political contacts, and gradually resumed cooperation in various fields and maintained good communication and coordination on some major international and regional affairs, said Hu.

The Chinese government always respects the will and choice of the Iraqi people and supports Iraq's efforts to safeguard national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and to realize stability and development, the president said.

He went on to say that China attaches great importance to the long-term development of a stable, all-round and friendly relationship with Iraq.

He said that currently, bilateral ties are faced with new opportunities of development. China is willing to join hands with Iraq to maintain the good momentum of development of bilateral ties and steadily push forward bilateral exchanges and cooperation in all fields, to write a new chapter of Sino-Iraqi friendship in the new era.

In his message, Talabani also praised bilateral ties and thanked China's persistent support. He said Iraq hopes to further expand bilateral cooperation in all areas to create a better future for the all-round friendly relationship between the two countries.

Source: Xinhua

Chinese, ROK leaders meet on bilateral relations

2008-08-25T07:25:00.011-07:00

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao met with his counterpart of the Republic of Korea , Lee Myung-bak, in Seoul on Monday to exchange views on furthering China-ROK relations.

Following their talks, the two leaders are expected to attend a signing ceremony for cooperation documents between the two countries.

During Hu's visit, China and the ROK would sign a number of cooperation deals on energy conservation, high-tech, economy, trade, education and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry officials.

President Hu and President Lee are also expected to meet the press later in the day.

The Chinese leader arrived in Seoul just a few hours ago for a state visit to the ROK.

Cooperative relations between China and the ROK have been developing constantly and steadily since the two countries established diplomatic ties 16 years ago.

The two countries have maintained frequent exchanges of high-level visits and bilateral trade cooperation has witnessed a fast expansion. China has become the ROK's biggest trading partner with two-way trade totaling 159 billion US dollars last year.

In the first five months of this year, bilateral trade increased by 24 percent compared with the corresponding period of 2007. The two countries also have had good coordination in regional and international affairs.

Lee paid a visit to China in May this year. He also attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 8 and met the Chinese president during his stay in Beijing.

The ROK is the first leg of Hu's three-nation tour, which will also take him to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. In the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, the Chinese president will attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Source: Xinhua

China insurance giant reports 44.2% net profit increase in 1H

2008-08-25T07:25:00.009-07:00

China Pacific Insurance Co., Ltd. realized a net profit of 5.5 billion yuan in the first half, an increase of 44.2 percent over the same period last year, according to the company's half-year report.

Its earning per share was 0.72 yuan, a 5.9 percent increase over the same period a year earlier.

According to the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, the CPIC was the country's third largest insurer in terms of revenue from life insurance premiums. In the January to June period, the amount was 38.86 billion yuan, up 58.4 percent over the same period last year.

Its industrial insurance premiums hit 15.77 billion yuan during the period, an increase of 20.2 percent, ranking second in the domestic market.

"In the first half, the company improved its management mechanism, established a professional marketing strategy and continued to optimize business structure, which helped CIPC to reap hefty profit and premiums," said Gao Guofu, the insurer's board chairman.

The Shanghai-listed CPIC saw its shares dip 1.45 percent to close at 17.69 yuan on Friday before the company released its report.

Source: Xinhua

Jan.-July growth in China textile output shrinks to single digit

2008-08-25T07:25:00.007-07:00

The rate of growth in the output of major textile enterprises slowed sharply, to single-digit levels in some cases, in the first seven months of 2008, the China National Textile and Apparel Council said on Monday.

The council said the deceleration reflected slowing textile exports and a cooling global economy.

From January to July, chemical fiber production rose 4.76 percent from a year earlier, but that was 13.23 percentage points less than the growth rate during the same seven-month period last year, the lowest growth rate since March 2006.

Yarn production grew 10.78 percent during the period, but that was 9.41 percentage points less than a year earlier.

The output growth of the cloth and garment sectors fell 7.45 and 7.92 percentage points, respectively, from year-earlier rates of 13.9 percent and 14.1 percent.

Source:Xinhua

Chinese stocks end higher over oil price slump

2008-08-25T07:25:00.005-07:00

Chinese equities edged up on Monday after falling for two consecutive days, boosted by a sharp decline in world crude oil prices and gains on Wall Street and neighboring stock markets.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.34 percent, or 8.14 points, to close at 2,413.37. In Shenzhen, the market fell 0.45 percent, or 36.23 points, to close at 8,065.45.

Aggregate turnover further shrank to 40.56 billion yuan , from 52.65 billion yuan on the previous trading day.

Losses outnumbered gains by 410-378 in Shanghai and 321-320 in Shenzhen.

"There has been an increased wait-and-see atmosphere among investors as their hope for the government's market-boosting measures failed at the weekend," said Nanjing Securities analyst Wen Lijun.

Source:Xinhua

Beijing Olympics hailed as "a glorious success": editorial

2008-08-25T07:25:00.003-07:00

The People's Daily, voice of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, published an editorial on Monday hailing the Beijing Olympics which closed on Sunday night.

"The 16-day sport event has brought enormous joy and enthusiasm to the humanity, and has won glory for both the host city Beijing and the Olympics," read the commentary.

Fireworks explode above the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.
With over 10,000 athletes from 204 countries and regions taking part and an audience of 4.5 billion around the world, the whole world has been united as one Olympic family, it said.

People of different nationalities, ethnic origins and cultural backgrounds have come together under the Olympic flag for fellowship, showcasing the friendship between people from all parts of the world, and the "one world, one dream" shared by all.

Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the performance of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony began at 8 p.m. sharp on Sunday.
The paper said the past 16 days have witnessed superb athletic performances and sportsmanship.

Sports sensations such as the U.S. swimmer Micheal Phelps, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, Chinese weightlifter Liu Chunhong, and South African amputated swimmer Natalie Du Toit, thrilled the world with their aspiration to be "faster, higher, and stronger".

And the Chinese people, teeming with enthusiasm, have honored the commitments they solemnly made 7 years ago, to host a high-standard Olympic Games with distinctive characteristics, the daily said.

The Chinese delegation dazzled the world with a total of 100 Olympic medals including 51 golds. Millions of Chinese volunteers offered to provide services for the Olympics, winning applause and praise from visitors from around the world.

China has realized the concepts of "Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics", and has opened itself further to the world, it said.

The paper hails the Olympic Games a grand celebration of sport, peace and friendship.

"Let us meet again in London in four years and hope for another great party that will bring glory to the Olympics," it said.

Source:Xinhua

Another gold medal for the winners

2008-08-25T07:25:00.001-07:00

There is a Western proverb saying "He conquers twice, who upon victory overcomes himself". Yes, victory won through overcoming people their own means another gold medal for the winners.

As of August 21, the Chinese athletes have won 46 gold medals and 80 medals in total at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, achieving a historic leap. This figure is so inspiring to all the Chinese people.

Given the unprecedented victory, people usually have two different attitudes: one is being over complacent and blindly optimistic, claiming "sports great power"; the other is lacking confidence, feeling inferior to others. As a matter of fact, how we behave in the field and how we react towards our victory attract equal attention from the people of the world.

It was in 76 years ago that the first Chinese athlete went far away to overseas to participate in the Olympic Games. Now China, as the host country of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, has more 600 athletes participating in the contests in its homeland. In 1984, China won its first gold medal. Now, it stands high on the top of the medal rank. No one can deny that China's Olympic achievements is the result of the joint efforts of several generations of Chinese athletes and the accumulation of the reform and opening up for 30 years, which has been targeting on comprehensive economic and social development. Meanwhile, with the improvement of people's living standards, China is not only marching forward in competitive sports, but also improving the popularity of national fitness campaign in both urban and rural areas.

However, a nation easy to satisfy is a short-sighted nation. Facing the brilliance achievements, everyone should remain calm, either a person or a country.

An ancient saying tells us "Never be unduly elated by victory or depressed by defeat." When everybody is cheering for the victory, we must not neglect the gap. When everyone is sighing, we shall notice the achievements and progress. Of course, achievement sometime easily becomes burden and pressure, while progress often makes people smug. Faced with victory, people sometimes find it difficult to remain sober. Sometimes, we won't give up in frustration, but will lose ourselves in victory. Given the 46 gold medals, we must clearly keep in mind that there is still gap between us and advanced countries in terms of competitive sports. In track and field, in the football, basketball and volleyball court, we witnessed more regrets than surprises. In terms of national fitness campaign and education, our sports facilities are still far from enough to meet the demand of our people. In school education, we are still focusing more on intellect cultivation than sports education.

To achieve the victory is not the most difficult thing. The key lies in how to keep the crown of championship. Given the success, we must have a sense of tribulation. Life is always full of changes. Sometimes we are strong, sometimes we are weak. No one can always remain unconquerable. No one can always be the inferior. Reviewing the developing pattern of the sports world, the Untied States and Russia still remain as sports great powers, which are worth learning from. At the same time, sports competition becomes extremely fierce. The world record is to be broken, and our predecessors' benchmarks are to be overcome. The world's famous sprinter Michael Johnson once claimed that the 200-meter record is unbreakable. However, the flying Jamaican Usain Bolt easily broke his record. The Olympic competition clearly tells us that today's victory never means a success tomorrow. Losers and latecomers will make more challenge with stronger power. It is precisely this kind of challenge that has been pushing the sport game become faster and stronger. This is also the charm of competitive sports.

Difficult and failures are tests, so are successes and victories. In cheers of triumph, victory is brining new challenge - to conquer ourselves and win one more god medal! This is the case in the Olympic field, and also the one in our everyday life.

By People's Daily Online

PD Editorial: Glory belongs to the great Olympics

2008-08-25T07:24:00.008-07:00

The People's Daily, the leading and most influential newspaper in China and the voice of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, published an editorial on Monday to hail the successful conclusion of the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics Games. The editorial is read as follows:

The sacred Olympic fire went out slowly Sunday evening at the National Stadium after burning 16 full days and nights. The landmark Bird's Nest stadium to release the Olympic dream watched the pyrotechnics light up the night sky and put with its ceaseless tenderness a full spectacular, satisfactory stop to the 29th Olympic Games.

The 16-day sport event has brought fiery passion and great joy to Beijing, a brilliant historic city filled with vis and vigor, and to the Olympics, a great "theatrical stage" for both the physique and spirit of the humanity, and presented us a wealth of splendid and legendary stories.

With more than 10,000 athletes from 204 countries and regions worldwide taking part and an audience of 4.5 billion around the globe, the Beijing Olympics is the biggest-ever Games with the largest representation of participating nations and regions, and it also represented the greatest event in term of scale in the Olympic history. Sport is joy of gods and the motive force of life, and the Olympic flag has united the world into one big Olympic family than ever before. So it is the glory of Beijing and even the greater glory of the Olympics.

We are unwilling to bid farewell to the 16 days and nights as we have enjoyed to our hearts' content the great joy and pride bestowed by the Olympic Games.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt sets the 100m new world record; US swimmer Michael Phelps wins eight gold medals in swimming events, and Defending weightlifter of China Li Chunhong breaks three world records in women's weightlifting 69 kg event鈥�The Olympics has kept renewing its records and is alive with the dream for athletes to undo themselves and exceed their limits.

There is a show of both power and gracefulness, as well as of great feats of the human spirit and will. Despite losing her leg only a year after she just missed qualifying for the Olympics, South African amputated swimmer Natalie du Toit still competes and still succeeds in taking part in an Olympic Games. China's fencer Luan Zhujie is so daring that she picks up a fencing sword at the age of fifty. Bantamweight Badar-Uugan Enkhbat has won Mongolia's first gold, and Abhinav Bindra becomes the first Indian athlete to win an individual event at the Olympics. Such sports sensations have thrilled the entire world with an aspiration to be "faster, higher, and stronger". The superb performance of countless athletes has upgraded the spirit of sports to a new height.

We are unwilling to bid farewell to 16 days and nights as we have struck up the Beijing chapter of unity, peace and friendship.

People of different nationalities, ethnic origins and cultural backgrounds have come together under the Olympic flag for fellowship. This has let us see the aspiration of humanity to work hand in hand for the future. When athletes from steep, rugged Somali mountain paths for firewood cutting or from chaos or turmoils in the post-war Afghanistan and Iraq came to vie with their peers in Beijing arenas; when athletes from various countries and regions accompanied their champions to thank spectators at viewing stands or when enthusiastic viewers cheered for athletes in competition, people have once again seen the Olympic spirit as the might to overstep all obstacles. With the "one world, one dream" sharing by all, the Beijing Games has displayed an affable, harmonious picture of unity and friendship for the world's people.

We are unwilling to bid farewell to the 16 days and nights as our country has realized its century-old dream and met face-to-face with the splendid world.

Bearing firmly in mind their solemn commitment "to host a high-standard Olympic Games with distinctive characteristic"they had solemnly made seven years ago, the 1.3 billion Chinese people, teeming with their utmost efforts and greatest enthusiasm, have erected a joyous "theatrical stage" for the humanity and opened a door of understanding for their nation. And China has never entered into the world's vision in such a role as it is assuming today.

In Olympic sport arenas, China won 100 medals and led with 50 gold, an eye-opening performance that has arrested the wide global attention. Inside and outside sport arenas, more than one million volunteers, who in fact were working on different kinds of volunteered jobs in varied services, have been praised and commended for their hearty smiles and attentive, wholehearted services. In fact, the Olympic Games has enabled China to present itself composedly as a more confident nation after three decades of reform and opening to the outside world. With the implementation of the "Green Olympics, Hi-tech Olympics and People's Olympics", the Beijing Games is sure to exert a far-reaching impact in the process of China's modernization.

Acute contests in the sports arena epitomize ideals of people in human life. "Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind,"according to the Olympic Charter. In Olympic Games, there are successes, medals and champions mingled with sweat, tears and hardship; there are tenacity, staunchness and acute endeavors along with peace, freedom and fairness; there are not only confrontation, competitions and head-on challenges, but also increased understanding, tolerance and transcending. In a world with growing stark challenges, the humanity has never needed so much mutual understanding, magnanimity and cooperation as we do today in this dwindling plante of ours, and never aspire so much to share the Olympic value and sprit and erect a bridge of unity and friendship as we do today.

May the world keep Beijing in mind, and remember the harmonious, happy days of the Olympic family; and also let Beijing express its thanks and gratitude to the world, and to the people worldwide to concert efforts in writing a splendid chapter for peace and progress of the humanity.

The "Bird's Nest" National Stadium, bustling with zeal and enthusiasm, has returned to peace gradually, and the dream in people's mind are nevertheless still hovering overhead. Today, we do not bid farewell, but let us meet London in four years and hope for another great joyous gala party that will bring new glory to the Olympics, teamed with vitality, full of memory and fervent aspiration.

By People's Daily Online

Notting Hill Carnival draws tens of thousands to party in west London

2008-08-25T07:24:00.007-07:00

Notting Hill Carnival, the largest street party in Europe, unveiled itself on Sunday with tens of thousands of people beating the poor weather to celebrate with colors and music in west London.

With this year's theme "Welcoming the World," the annual carnival sets out to impress the world that London is a prime place for world class events.

More than 1.5 million people are expected to attend the carnival both on Sunday and Monday, in what promises to be the best and biggest spectacle of color, energy and music.

People wave flags during an activity to celebrate the Olympic flag handover to London, in London, the next host city for summer Olympic Games, Aug. 24, 2008. Celebrations were held across Britain on Olympic flag handover on Aug. 24, 2008.
Dozens of masquerade bands are to display their elaborate and colorful costumes around the 3.5-mile route.

In addition to the procession of costumes and steel bands, 38 static sound systems, each playing their own selection of reggae, jazz, soul, hip-hop, house and garage will entertain the crowds.

An old lady waves British national flag during an activity to celebrate the Olympic flag handover to London, in London, the next host city for summer Olympic Games, Aug. 24, 2008. Celebrations were held across Britain on Olympic flag handover on Aug. 24, 2008.
There are also hundreds of street stalls selling exotic foods, encouraging visitors to sample the diversity of London's ethnic cuisine, including spicy Caribbean, Nigerian, Thai and Chinese flavors.

A child holds flags with logos of London 2012 Olympic Games in London, the next host city for summer Olympic Games, Aug. 24, 2008. Celebrations were held across Britain on Olympic flag handover on Aug. 24, 2008.
With the carnival coinciding with the Olympic ceremonial handover from Beijing to London, Mayor Boris Johnson said earlier that "Notting Hill Carnival is truly welcoming the world on behalf of the capital."

A giant 25-square-metre screen has been installed this year at Pleasance Park along the carnival route, for revelers to celebrate the handover of the Olympic flag from Beijing to London. It will also show live footage from across the whole carnival site.

The carnival was started in 1964 by immigrants from Trinidad and Tobago who resided in the Notting Hill Gate area. Over the years, it has evolved into a multi-cultural festival and is regarded as the biggest carnival outside Rio de Janeiro.

Source:Xinhua

Kenyan leader lauds team for sterling performance in Beijing Olympiad

2008-08-25T07:24:00.005-07:00

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and First Lady Lucy on Sunday congratulated the Kenyan team to the Beijing Olympics on their sterling performance at the Games.

In a joint congratulatory message to all medal winners, the president and the first lady said the team had brought pride to Kenya by bagging five gold, five silver and four bronze medals at the Games which ends Sunday.

"You have done Kenya proud by winning 14 medals which placed the country at the top of the medal table on the Continent and among the best 20 sporting countries participating in this year's Olympics," they said.

Kenya's Samuel Wanjiru got the Beijing Olympics' last gold medal by winning Kenya's first ever gold in the men's marathon on Sunday, breaking the Olympic record.

The Kenyan president and the first lady congratulated Kenya's women athletes in particular over their splendid performance as they won the country's first ever gold medals at the Olympics.

"It was remarkable that Kenyan women athletes had won two gold medals. Your victory and that of your male compatriots had brought glory to the country," they said.

The five gold medalists are Pamela Chelimo in women's 800 meters, Brimin Kipruto in men's 3,000 meters steeplechase, Nancy Chibet in women's 1,500 meters, Wanjiru in marathon and Wilfred Bungei in men's 800 meters.

Those who won silvers included Asbel Kiprop in men's 1,500, Janeth Jepkoskei in women's 800 meters, Catherine Ndereba in women's marathon and Eunice Jepkorir in women's 3,000 meters steeplechase.

Bronze medalists were Alfred Kirwa in men's 800 meters, Micah Kogo in men's 10,000 meters and Richard Matelong in men's 3,000 meters steeplechase.

The government pledged 750,000 shillings for gold medalists, 500,000 shillings for silver medalists and 250,000 shillings for bronze medalists at the Beijing Olympics.

President Kibaki said he looked forward to welcoming the team and receiving the national flag during a reception ceremony in Mombasa next Friday.

Source: Xinhua

Medical services impress visitors

2008-08-25T07:24:00.003-07:00

She came to Beijing to help out as a volunteer for the Olympic events held at Shunyi district, but pain on her left shoulder forced the visitor from the United Kingdom to check into the China-Japan Friendship Hospital for surgery.

Yesterday, the 20-year-old volunteer wrote a letter of thanks to hospital staff as she was transferred back to Manchester for the rest of her recovery.

"Thank you for all your continuous help and support during my stay. It has been greatly appreciated," said the volunteer, who wanted to be known as Sarah.

Sarah is one of the countless visitors to the capital who enjoyed medical services and healthcare efforts during the Olympics and expressed their thanks for the hospitality, officials said yesterday.

"The medical services are the best I have ever experienced in my Olympic life," Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the International Olympic Committee medical commission, told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

"The 29th Olympics will be well remembered among the public health community," said Ljungqvist, who has been an IOC member since 1987.

World Health Organization China Representative Hans Troedsson also gave his congratulations for a successful Games and provision of services.

"From the perspective of both public health and medical services, everything went very well," Troedsson said. "It has been an excellent Olympic Games and a fantastic public health opportunity."

"People are received with warmth and feel welcomed here," Ljungqvist added. "The volunteers have been thousands of goodwill ambassadors."

As of yesterday, there had been no cases of major epidemics, food poisoning, pollution of drinking water sources and any other outbreak during the Games, sources with the Beijing municipal health bureau said.

By 5 pm yesterday, designated and non-designated major hospitals had also received 3,841 Games-related patients home and abroad, with 176 hospitalized for treatment.

The capital had mobilized more than 180,000 professionals engaged in high-level medical and healthcare services for this Olympics, officials said.

Source: China Daily

Athletes, officials enjoy stay in Qingdao

2008-08-25T07:24:00.001-07:00

International sailors and officials have enjoyed their stay in this city along the coast of Shandong province.

When there was no race, they traveled around Qingdao sightseeing, shopping and enjoying a taste of Chinese culture.

Even for those who competed in the 2006 and 2007 test events, the city offered new experiences.

"The city has changed a lot. The Olympic Village is perfect. Now it's like we are queens," said Athena Frai, a windsurfer from Greece who has been to Qingdao three times.

"I like buying things in the market. They are cheap. Every time I came here, I bought different things, typical Chinese goods like fans and clothes," she said.

French silver medalist Julien Bontemps gave thumbs-up to the environment.

"The city is well arranged. I like it very much. The seaside is very beautiful," he said.

Cypriot windsurfer Andreas Cariolou bought electronics.

"It's cheaper than in my home," he said. "And I bought authorized Olympics souvenirs."

Some people fall in love with the Chinese food. Nilco Mittelmeier of Germany said "some of the food is so special - I enjoy it a lot."

Deshopol Phuanukoolnont, coach of the Thai team, appreciated the kungfu tea performance.

"There is a natural taste in the Laoshan green tea. I will take some to my friends," he said.

"The village is fantastic. Everything is comfortable, and it's really nice. The people are very nice, very kind and very helpful. I'm really happy here," said Irina Hentschel Mendez, captain of the Mexican team.

The folk art area in the Olympic Village is a popular site for recreation. Sailors and officials sampled Chinese culture and bought artwork for relatives and friends. They also wrote Chinese characters with traditional brushes.

Source: China Daily

ISAF: Regatta a roaring success

2008-08-25T07:23:00.010-07:00

"The Olympic sailing competition has been a tremendous success," Goran Petersson, chairman of the International Sailing Federation , said at the farewell party for the Olympic sailing competition.

"Qingdao has played an important role in popularizing sailing in China - and in all of Asia," Petersson told China Daily.

"The commitment of the sailing committee and the city was important. They put a lot of effort behind this, not only to deliver this very successful event, but also to build for the future," he said.

Petersson said he agreed with assertions that China is not yet a top sailing nation, but showed more than promise in Qingdao. "There is every reason why sailing will be just as big in China as in any other country with a significant coastline."

"I am sure that Qingdao will be very competitive in becoming a prominent sailing center that hosts many international events," Petersson said.

Sailing is far from over in Qingdao, with two world-renowned yacht races signed on for stopovers in the port city. The Volvo Around the World Race will arrive in Qingdao next February and the Clipper Around the World Yacht Race will call on Qingdao during its 2009-10 and 2011-12 seasons.

Petersson heaped praise on the venue, volunteers and the Olympic Village.

"The venue is outstanding. It is a very, very high-quality marina and very organized. I was impressed the entire time I've been here. A lot of city volunteers. Everybody is friendly and interested.

"I can't remember that I've seen that anywhere-the friendliness and commitment of the people here. All of these things together are very impressive," Petersson said.

Source: China Daily

Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing on Monday for state visits to the Republic of Korea

2008-08-25T07:23:00.009-07:00

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress , China's top legislature, started a five-day session in Beijing Monday to review draft laws on food safety and recycling, among other issues.

Five bills would be deliberated during the fourth session of the 11th NPC Standing Committee.

These were draft laws on food safety and recycling, and draft amendments to the Criminal Law, the Insurance Law as well as the Patent Law.

According to the agenda, the NPC would also discuss an additional protocol to the organization law of the Universal Postal Union and three international pacts on criminal judicial assistance with Namibia, Pakistan and Japan.

The session would review several reports tabled by the State Council, or the cabinet, on increasing farmers' income, the protection of minors, and the 2007 central budget.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, chaired the meeting.

Source:Xinhua

Chinese President leaves for three-nation visit, SCO summit

2008-08-25T07:23:00.007-07:00

Chinese President Hu Jintao left Beijing on Monday for state visits to the Republic of Korea ,Tajikistan and Turkmenistan from Aug. 25 to 30.

Hu is invited by ROK President Lee Myung-bak, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon, and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

Hu will also attend the eighth annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to be held on Aug. 28 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital.

Source:Xinhua

Chinese president arrives in Seoul for state visit

2008-08-25T07:23:00.005-07:00

Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea , on Monday for a two-day state visit aimed at furthering bilateral ties.

This is President Hu's second state visit to the ROK in nearly three years. His first state visit to the country took place in November 2005.

Chinese President Hu Jintao is greeted by South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan upon his arrival at an airport of Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea , on Aug. 25, 2008. Hu arrived here on Monday to kick off his state visit to the country.

In Seoul, Hu is expected to have talks with his ROK counterpart Lee Myung-bak and meet other ROK leaders.

Both countries are expected to sign a number of cooperation deals on energy savings, high-tech, economy and trade, education and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, according to Chinese foreign ministry officials.

Hu's visit comes at a time when the China-ROK relations are enjoying sound development. President Lee visited China in May this year.

Lee attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 8 and met the Chinese president on Aug. 9 in Beijing.

Cooperative relations between China and the ROK have undergone steady development since the two countries established diplomatic ties 16 years ago.

Chinese President Hu Jintao waves upon his arrival at an airport of Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea , on Aug. 25, 2008. Hu arrived here on Monday to kick off his state visit to the country.
The two countries have maintained frequent exchanges of high-level visits and bilateral trade has witnessed fast expansion. China has become the ROK's biggest trading partner with their two-way trade volume totaling 159 billion U.S. dollars last year.

In the first six months of this year, bilateral trade volume increased by 25.7 percent over the same period of 2007.

"We expect this state visit to define the direction of future exchanges and cooperation between China and the ROK, and further advance bilateral ties," a senior Chinese foreign ministry official said on Aug. 20.

Seoul is the first leg of Hu's three-nation tour, which will also take him to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. In the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, he will attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Source:Xinhua

PD Online exclusive Interview of Jacques Rogge

2008-08-25T07:23:00.003-07:00

Jacques Rogge and volunteers.
Jacques Rogge, the IOC president wrote back to People's Daily Online on Aug 25, 2005 to answer questions from People's Daily Online. Seven of the questions are from readers of PD Online.

1. What are your feelings about the opening ceremony?
It was absolutely brilliant. The use of technology and a very modern presentation to show Chinese history and culture dating back 5,000 years was fascinating. The ceremony was an international success and drew huge television audiences around the world.

2. It has been a long time since your first visit to China as an IOC officer. What do you think is the biggest change brought by the experience of hosting the Olympic Games? Did you expect this kind of change?

You are right. This has been a long journey, but I always expected these games to be absolutely spectacular. Nothing that has happened has been a surprise. It was the confirmation of what I had hoped. I have to say, though, that the venues turned out to be even more magnificent than I had imagined at the start of this process.

3. The International Olympic Committee authorized China, a developing country with a population of 1.3 billion people, to host the 29th Olympic Games in 2001. What are your thoughts on this event?

These Games will be remembered as a significant milestone in China’s remarkable transformation. The world will discover China and its culture, and China will discover the world. We will all gain from that experience. The Games are not just a sports activity. The Games are about universality — the universality of people of different ethnic groups, political systems, cultural systems, languages and tradition.

4. What legacy will the Games leave for the Chinese people and the IOC?

The Games will leave a wonderful legacy for China and the Olympic Movement. Some changes will be seen immediately in the improvements made to Beijing’s public infrastructure and the environment. Other changes, like the rise in confidence of a generation of China’s youth, the positive development of sport in China and an increase in the global understanding of China as a country are a strong step forward for both the country and the Movement.

5. By hosting the Olympic Games, China can enhances communication with the world; while foreign friends can get better acquainted with China. If you had the chance to introduce China and Chinese people to your friends, what words would you use to describe them?

Enthusiastic, friendly, hard-working and dedicated. All of us who visited China for the Olympic Games will long remember the smiles and warmth of the Olympic volunteers and Chinese people.

6. China’s civilization has a history of more than 5,000 years. We know that you understand the Chinese culture quite well. We would like to know which aspect of Chinese culture you are most interested in.

China’s history and culture have so much to offer that the question is impossible to answer. I am interested in many aspects of Chinese culture. I only regret that I have not had more time to explore this astonishing country.

7. How would you like people to remember the Beijing Olympic Games once they finish?

As an event that was good for athletes, spectators and the media, and as an event that left a positive legacy for China and the world. I am positive that the Games will be remembered in that way.

8. As a great athlete when you were young, which event and which athlete are you most interested in during the Beijing Olympic Games?

I love all sports and respect all athletes. By the end of the Games, I will have seen at least one event in all of the 28 sports represented here. I find that every sport has unique elements that make the competition interesting and exciting.

9. In addition to a Chinese edition, People’s Daily Online also publishes its website in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Arabic. The Beijing Olympic Games have outlined rules concerning blogs opened by athletes. This is a positive move for the IOC to adapt to the Information Age. We are wondering if you would be interested in opening a blog on People’s Daily Online.

I very much appreciate your kind offer, however, I am sorry to say that I would not be a very good blogger for People’s Daily Online. I would not be able to devote the time needed to keep my blog interesting and up-to-date for your readers.

10. Would you like to say something to the athletes who will compete in the Beijing Olympic Games?

My message to athletes is: Nothing will compare to your experience as an athlete at the Olympic Games. You are all winners. You are role models. You are an inspiration for the youth of the world. We are counting on you to reject doping and to display the Olympic values of fair play and sportsmanship. I know you will not let us down.

11. Is the International Olympic Committee satisfied with Beijing’s winning of the bid for the Olympic Games?

Absolutely. The Games organizers and the Chinese authorities have done an outstanding job. I also want to thank the thousands of Chinese citizens who have volunteered their time and effort to make these Games such a success.

12. May I ask Mr. Rogge, from this year's opening and closing ceremony to the games, what scenes and which athletes left you a deep impression?

There are always many memorable moments at the Olympic Games. Some are happy. Some are sad. We were all sorry to see Liu Xiang’s injury, and we wish him a speedy recovery. There were many remarkable athletes here. Michael Phelps has earned a place in history. Usain Bolt’s performance in Athletics was unforgettable. The Chinese athletes were very impressive — Guo Jingjing, Liu Zige, Yang Wei, Li Xiaopeng and many others were amazing. The athletes in Beijing lived up to the Olympic motto — Citius, Altius, Fortius — faster, higher stronger.

13. May I ask Mr. Rogge, if you were presenter, who do you want to present the medals most?

I do not have a special favorite. The truth is, all of the athletes at the Olympic Games are winners. Pierre de Courbertin, the founder of the Olympic Movement, was right when he said that the important thing is not to triumph, but to compete.

14. Mr. Rogge, how do you think of the fact that competitive sports stars are becoming increasingly commercialized, and is this consistent with the spirit of the Olympics?

The Olympic Games are unique in major sports that we do not allow commercial advertising in our venues. We appreciate the strong support from our corporate sponsors, but we want the focus in the venues to be on the athletes and competition in its purest form.

15. The Olympics have become increasingly commercialized, and some political forces targeting the Olympic Games . It’s getting harder and harder to depoliticize the Olympic Games. What’s your opinion of the future development direction of the Olympic Games? Will the Olympic Games return to a simple sports competition?

Political groups and activist organizations have always tried to use the Olympic Games to promote their agendas. The situation is not unique to China. We understand that. But the International Olympic Committee is first and foremost an organization devoted to sport. We will not deviate from that core mission. The Olympic Games use the power of sport to bring positive changes.

16. In the opening ceremony of every Olympic Games, it always takes a long time for delegations to parade into the stadium; I would like to ask Mr. Rogge whether it is possible to change the form of parade and control the parade part within one hour？

Every delegation from every nation deserves its time in the spotlight. It is a very special moment when athletes enter the stadium for the first time. I would not want to deny any athlete the chance to experience that moment. The parade was a bit longer in China because we had a record number of nations participating — 204.

17. Mr. Rogge, which is your favorite sports？Every time I see you on the screen you keep a very serious look! Is there too much pressure?

I am probably concentrating on the action when you see me. I can tell you that I am thoroughly enjoying these Games and plan to visit every venue in China.

18. Finally, we would like you to leave a message for Chinese netizens.

Thank you, China, for being a warm and gracious host of these Olympic Games. I have very much enjoyed my time in your beautiful country and with the wonderful people. Your dedication has shaped a world-class event and your hospitality has shown the world what China can do for sport, friendship and the Olympic spirit.

By People's Daily Online

Venues for Beijing Paralympics are ready

2008-08-25T07:23:00.001-07:00

According to Xinhua News Agency, Tang Xiaoquan, the president of the China Disabled Person's Federation and the vice chairman of the BOCOG, accepted interviews from foreign and Chinese correspondents at BIMC on August 24. She revealed that all the immovable and barrier-free facilities for Beijing Paralympic had reached the national standard, and 5 of the stadiums had reached the international standard.

Tang also said 16 special bus lines and 400 barrier-free buses would be used for the Paralympics; every stop on the 8 lines and 123 stops would have at least one gateway for a wheelchair to be elevated from the ground to the platform; 42 climbing vehicles and 109 lift platforms were added and the first barrier-free taxi team in China was organized; and the barrier-free traffic has been carried out at the Great Wall, Forbidden City and other important sites.

In addition, the 22 designated hospitals and 16 designated hotels of the Beijing Paralympics have been rebuilt for practical use. The IOC published barrier-free guidebooks and applied wireless hearing aids and video sign language translation software.

There are 20 competing stadiums and 6 independent training stadiums for the Beijing Paralympics in total. These are mainly located in the Olympic Center and on university campuses; and there are relevant operational designs and working plans for their transformation.

By People's Daily Online

Shanghai Taoist music become state-level intangible cultural heritage

2008-08-25T07:22:00.008-07:00

The State Council recently announced the list of the second batch of state-level intangible cultural heritage, and Shanghai Taoist music was among them, according to Wen Wei Po.

Taoism is one of China's indigenous religions; it has a history of nearly 2,000 years. Chinese Taoist music has a long history and is rich in repertoire. As one form of Taoist music, Shanghai Taoist music, which already has 800 years of history with glamorous tunes, gorgeous rhythm and elegant sound, has distinctive local styles and characteristics.

In recent years, Shanghai's Chenghuang Temple has been collecting, collating and exploring Shanghai Taoist music, formed the "Shanghai Chenghuang Temple Road Orchestra" and has participated in national and local concerts in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Zhangjiagang and other places. Last year, Shanghai Taoist music was not only listed among the first batch of Shanghai intangible cultural heritage, but also signed with the British record company ARC corporation to release the "Shanghai Taoist music" CD in Europe and around the world. At present, the second album in the series was being recorded; and at the invitation of the University of London, the Shanghai Chenghuang Temple Road Orchestra will soon go to the UK to participate in international Taoist music performances.

By People's Daily Online

Full text of Chinese President's toast at banquet for international dignitaries

2008-08-25T07:22:00.007-07:00

The following is the full text of a toast by Chinese President Hu Jintao at a banquet for foreign leaders and international dignitaries who will attend the Beijing Olympic Games closing ceremony on Sunday night.

Toast By H.E. Hu Jintao

President of the People's Republic of China

At the banquet for foreign leaders and international dignitaries attending the Beijing Olympic Games closing ceremony

24 August 2008

Your Excellency Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, Your Excellency Juan Antonio Samaranch, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee, Distinguished Heads of State and Government and Representatives of Royal Families, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,

Since August 8, we have had a wonderful and exciting time together. Tonight, the Beijing Olympic Games will come to a successful conclusion. On behalf of the Chinese Government and people, I wish to extend a warm welcome to all the distinguished guests who have come to Beijing for the closing ceremony. I would also like to express sincere thanks to the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Family for their support and assistance and heartfelt congratulations to the athletes from various countries and regions on their outstanding performances at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Since the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, friends from all parts of the world have come together in Beijing to experience the charm of the International Olympic Movement. The athletes from various countries and regions, bearing in mind the motto of "Citius- Altius - Fortius," have fought hard, competed fairly and dared to challenge themselves, displaying strong competitiveness and sportsmanship. The Chinese people have greeted all the guests with great enthusiasm and shared with people from across the world the joy and happiness. The Beijing Olympic Games has promoted the Olympic spirit of solidarity, friendship and peace. It has become a grand event of international sports competition and cultural exchanges witnessed and joined by people of the whole world.

The success of the Beijing Olympic Games is attributable to the concerted efforts of the Chinese people and people from the rest of the world. The glory goes to the Olympic Family, to athletes who have competed hard, to volunteers from different parts of the world and to friends the world over who have been involved in the Beijing Olympic Games in various ways.

The hosting of the Beijing Olympic Games will give a boost to the further development of sports in China, promote more extensive exchanges and cooperation between China and the International Olympic Family and further enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and people of all other countries.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

In just a few days, the Paralympic Games will open. With the goal of "Two Games, Equal Splendor," we will deliver a high-standard Paralympic Games with distinctive features and continue to contribute our part to the development of the International Olympic Movement.

I am confident that through the concerted efforts of people all over the world, the Olympic spirit will be carried forward and mankind will enjoy an even better future.

We all look forward to the reunion in London in four years' time!

I now propose a toast,

To the robust growth of the Olympic Movement,

To greater solidarity and friendship among people of all countries, and

To the health of all the distinguished guests.

Cheers!

Source: Xinhua

Chinese central authorities congratulate Olympians on superb performance at Beijing Games

2008-08-25T07:22:00.005-07:00

China's central authorities on Sunday congratulated the Chinese athletes on their "achievement of a major historic breakthrough" and "significant contributions" to the Beijing Olympic Games.

"The motherland and people feel proud of you. We extend warm congratulations and heartfelt compliments to you, who have won immense glory for your country and people," read a congratulatory message jointly sent by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, China's cabinet.

By scoring the best ever result at the Olympic Games with 51 gold, 21 silver and 28 bronze medals, the Chinese sports delegation has "achieved a major historic breakthrough," "written a new chapter of China's sports development," and "made significant contributions to the hosting of a high-standard and unique Olympic Games in Beijing," the message noted.

The Chinese sports delegation, which has topped the gold medal table at these Games, has demonstrated sportsmanship and the Olympic spirit both in and out of the competition grounds, revealing to the world the Chinese nation's unyielding spirit, solidarity and pursuit of peace and progress, said the message.

The Chinese athletes also took the opportunity of these Games to have exchanges with their counterparts from other parts of the world, which has helped promote mutual understanding and friendship among people all over the world, it added.

"With your concrete action, you have greatly inspired the patriotic passion and hard-working spirit of people of all ethnic groups in the country, encouraged them to actively push forward reform and opening-up and the socialist modernization drive, and made an outstanding contribution to the International Olympic Movement," it said.

"We hope you will earnestly sum up your experience and refrain from complacency, and make persistent efforts to win even greater honor for the motherland and people. We hope to see you make new contributions to China's sports development and the promotion of the Olympic spirit and the International Olympic Movement," it concluded.

The Chinese athletes won 32 golds, 17 silvers and 14 bronzes at the previous Olympic Games in Athens 2004, trailing only behind the United States on the gold tally.

Source: Xinhua

Chinese president holds banquet for int'l dignitaries

2008-08-25T07:22:00.003-07:00

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday held a banquet at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in west Beijing to welcome foreign leaders and international dignitaries who will attend the Olympic Games closing ceremony in the evening.

Hu said in a toast that the Beijing Olympic Games have promoted the Olympic spirit of solidarity, friendship and peace.

"The success of the Beijing Olympic Games is attributable to the concerted efforts of the Chinese people and people from the rest of the world," said Hu.

"The glory goes to the Olympic Family, to athletes who have competed hard, to volunteers from different parts of the world and to friends the world over who have been involved in the Beijing Olympic Games in various ways," Hu said.

Calling the past 16 days "a wonderful and exciting time together," the Chinese leader said that the hosting of the Beijing Olympics will give a boost to the further development of sports in China, promote more extensive exchanges and cooperation between China and the International Olympic Family, and further enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and people of all other countries.

The Beijing Olympic Games have become "a grand event of international sports competition and cultural exchanges" witnessed and joined by people of the whole world, said Hu.

Since the opening of the Beijing Games, friends from all parts of the world have come together in the Chinese capital to experience the charm of the International Olympic Movement, said the president.

"The Chinese people have greeted all the guests with great enthusiasm and shared with people from across the world the joy and happiness," he added.

He expressed sincere thanks to the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Family for their support and assistance, and extended heartfelt congratulations to the athletes from various countries and regions on their outstanding performances at the Beijing Games.

The president also pledged that China would work hard to guarantee the success of the Paralympic Games, scheduled to open in Beijing in early September.

"With the goal of 'Two Games, Equal Splendor,' we will deliver a high-standard Paralympic Games with distinctive features and continue to contribute our part to the development of the International Olympic Movement," he said.

He expressed the confidence that through the concerted efforts of people all over the world, the Olympic spirit will be carried forward and mankind will enjoy an even better future.

"We all look forward to the reunion in London in four years' time!" he told the guests.

Among the guests were IOC President Jacques Rogge and Honorary President Juan Antonio Samaranch, as well as leaders and dignitaries from more than 20 countries and regions.

Source: Xinhua

China and Britain show greatest gold medal gains at Beijing Olympics

2008-08-25T07:22:00.001-07:00

Host China ranks No. one when it comes to the most improved medal performance at the Beijing Olympics compared to the Athens 2004 Games.

China is followed by Britain, who will host the 2012 Olympics in London.

China won a total of 63 medals, including 32 gold in Athens. They improved on that for a total of 100 medals, including 51 golds at the Beijing Games.

In 2004, Britain won 30 medals, nine of which were gold. Strong performances in cycling, rowing and sailing propelled the 2012 Olympics host to fourth place in the medals count in Beijing with 19 golds and 47 in total.

Meanwhile, Cuba and Japan both dropped by seven gold medals and ranked first and second in terms of biggest net loss in gold medals compared to 2004.

Source: Xinhua

China-ROK ties enjoy steady growth

2008-08-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Chinese President Hu Jintao will start a two-day state visit to the Republic of Korea on Monday at the invitation of his ROK counterpart Lee Myung-bak.

The visit, which will be Hu's first to Seoul after Lee took office in late February, is expected to offer an opportunity to promote the strategic cooperative partnership as well as the friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

China-ROK ties have achieved great progress since the establishment of their diplomatic relations in 1992. Bilateral ties have witnessed rapid and steady growth, with frequent exchange of high-level visits and ever broadening economic cooperation.

In 1998, leaders of the two countries agreed to set up a partnership facing the 21st century. Then two years later, the two sides decided to elevate their friendly cooperation to a new high. Again in July 2003, leaders of the two sides agreed to upgrade their bilateral ties to a "comprehensive and cooperative partnership."

During Lee Myung-bak's Chinese tour in May, the two sides reached consensus on promoting the bilateral ties to a "strategic cooperative partnership" for stronger ties in such fields as foreign affairs, security, economy and culture.

Over the last 16 years, China and the ROK have worked together to develop an all-around partnership and maintained strong economic cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit.

The ROK now ranks third among China's trading partners and fourth among foreign direct investors in China. Meanwhile, China has been ROK's top trading partner, its biggest export and import market and the origin of its biggest trade surplus for years.

Chinese government statistics shows that trade volume between China and the ROK reached a new high of 159.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2007, accounting for 19.9 percent of the ROK's total foreign trade volume.

China-ROK trade has kept an average growth rate of about 25 percent since 1992.

From January to May this year, the two-way trade reached 75.8 billion dollars. If such a momentum continues, the two countries can raise their annual bilateral trade to over 200 billion dollars by 2012, a target mapped out by leaders of the two countries, said some economic experts.

People-to-people exchanges have also played a major role in relations between the two countries. Currently more than 830 flights shuttling between 40 cities in China and the ROK each week, greatly facilitating economic and trade, tourism and cultural exchanges.

In 2007, around 6 million Chinese and ROK citizens visited each others' country, setting a new record in history.

Statistics released by the ROK presidential office showed that 700,000 ROK citizens are living in China while about 530,000 Chinese are studying, working or living in the ROK as of the end of last year.

Cultural exchanges, especially education exchange, have also witnessed steady expansion. By the end of 2007, the number of ROK students in China reached 64,000, making them the largest group among foreign students in China.

Meanwhile, Chinese students in the ROK reached 34,000, accounting for two thirds of the total foreign students in the ROK.

These students are expected to play a leading role in expanding cooperation between the two nations and boost mutual understanding between the two peoples in the future.

The growing number of South Koreans who study the Chinese language and increasing popularity of South Korea's pop culture in China, are indications of the friendly exchanges between the two peoples.

Ahead of Hu's visit, the ROK presidential office said that ROK government places great importance on the development of the ROK-China ties and expects Hu's visit to consolidate and expand bilateral cooperation.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said last Wednesday that China expects Hu's state visit to define the direction of future exchanges and cooperation between Beijing and Seoul, stressing that the visit "will be of great significance to bilateral ties."

Hu is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Monday. During his two-day stay here, he will meet with ROK President Lee Myung-bak, National Assembly's Speaker Kim Hyong-o, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and attend a series of events.

Source: Xinhua

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2008-08-05T00:08:00.000-07:00

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