Beijing Olympics 2008

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday thanked US President George W. Bush, who has announced he will attend the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies, for not “politicising” the Games.

Hu said through an interpreter after talks with Bush on the margin of a rich nations summit in Japan that he “highly appreciated that President Bush has on various occasions expressed his opposition to politicising the Olympic Games.”

“I told the president I was looking forward to coming to the Olympics. I reminded him that not only am I coming, but my wife, my mother and dad will be there and we’re looking forward to your hospitality,” Bush said.

“In this context, the president and I have constantly had discussions about human rights and political freedom. He knows my position and as I told our people, Mister President, I don’t need the Olympics to talk candidly with somebody who I’ve got good relations with,” he said.

Bush said Sunday that skipping the August 8 opening gala, as human rights activists had urged him to do, would have been “an affront” to China’s people, making it harder to engage with China’s leaders.

“So I’m looking forward to your hospitality,” he said. “I’m hoping to get tickets for the US-Chinese basketball game. If you can help me get a ticket, I’d appreciate it.”

The US leader said he and Hu had “candid discussions” on issues like Taiwan, Sudan and trade in their talks on the sidelines of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations in northern Japan.

Hu said their “sincere and friendly” talks also covered diplomatic efforts to convince North Korea to abandon its atomic ambitions and Iran to curb its suspect nuclear programme.

“I also briefed President Bush on the Chinese position on the Taiwan issue and informed President Bush about the current situation in the Taiwan straits,” said Hu.

“We hope that the US side will continue to follow the ‘One-China’ policy,” Hu said, referring to Washington’s policy of recognising only the Beijing government of mainland China, which views Taiwan as a renegade province.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy also announced on the margins of the G8 on Wednesday that he would attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games despite an earlier threat to boycott over a crackdown in Tibet.

from: afp.google.com

TOYAKO - French President Nicolas Sarkozy will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, representing his own country and the European Union, his office said on Wednesday.
Sarkozy met Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of a summit of world leaders in nothern Japan on Wednesday.
“The President of the Republic has confimed to the Chinese president his intention of travelling to Beijing on August 8 to take part in the opening ceremony of the 29th Olympic Games,” the French presidency’s office said in a statement.
As well as France, Sarkozy would represent the EU because France holds the rotating presidency of the 27-nation bloc, the office said.

from: chinadaily.com.cn

Receiving the sacred Olympic flame and olive branch from “High Priestess” Maria Nafpliotou after the torch-lighting ceremony, Nikolaidis, the 2004 Olympic taekwondo silver medalist, became the first torchbearer for the 2008 Beijing Games yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Olympics.
“It was the biggest moment in my life,” he said, after passing the flame to the second torchbearer Luo Xuejuan, who is also China’s Olympic gold medalist for swimming.
“With the Olympic flame, I must admit that there was something special,” Nikolaidis said.
“I hope everything you saw today represents the Olympic being spirit passed on and traveling throughout world,” he added.
For Nikolaidis, being the first torchbearer of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay is not only a great honor, but also a good start to his pursuit for gold at the Beijing Games, following his silver medal won at the Athens Games.
“It is the best start for me. I hope I will be as happy at the Olympics as I was today,” Nikolaidis, who will be taking part in his third Olympic Games, said.
“I hope I get to the finals I hope I can get the gold medal.”
The 28-year-old was announced as the first torchbearer for the Beijing Games on March.
“It is the biggest honor that the Greek Olympic Committee could give me.”
The athlete was modest when asked why he was chosen for the role.
“I don’t know the real reason. Maybe my sports achievement but I’m really very happy about it,” he said.
According to Hellenic Committee President Minos Kyriakou, Nikokaidis was chosen not just because of his athletic achievements, but also because his courage, modesty and integrity were exemplary.
“High Priestest” Nafpliotou said after the event: “It’s happened today almost as it happened in history. It’s something very touching and very moving.
“I wish that all the values of the Olympic Games reflect the whole Olympiad. I wish the Beijing Games every success with peace, that’s the most important thing,” she said.

First Olympic relay torchbearer Alexandros Nikolaidis (R), Greece’s Olympic silver medallist for taekwando, hands over the flame to China’s gold medallist swimmer Luo Xuejuan after the Olympic flame lighting ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Games at the site of ancient Olympia in Greece, March 24, 2008. [Agencies]

from: chinadaily.com.cn

The chief designer for the “Bird’s Nest” will be running with the Olympic torch in hand before the sacred flame arrives in Beijing.
On March 24, when the Olympic torch was lit for the first time in Ancient Olympia, Li Xinggang was at the National Stadium, fighting urges to leave the site to watch the Torch Lighting Ceremony on TV. Although he didn’t catch the proceedings live, he ran to check up on the torch’s progress on the internet as soon as he arrived home.
Li’s enthusiasm was visibly evident as he told reporters about the excitement he feels about being present as the Olympic Torch is handed over to Beijing representatives in Greece.
In 2003, Li took on the post of chief designer of the National Stadium. Because of his ingenuity in creating the immense “Bird’s Nest,” he was chosen by Lenovo to be a torchbearer for the 2008 Torch Relay.
Li is a well-respected engineer. During his career thus far, he has been recognized by over 20 domestic and international construction organizations.
According to reports, BOCOG has invited ten people to attend the torch handover ceremony in Greece. Li will arrive in Athens on March 29 to observe the day’s relay and handover ceremony, after which he will return to Beijing to take part in the capital’s welcoming celebrations for the torch’s arrival in China.

from: torchrelay.beijing2008.cn 

The Olympic ceremonies will convey the “conception of harmony from an international perspective”, Chen Weiya, deputy general director of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Beijing Games, said Tuesday.
“Preparations for both ceremonies are progressing as planned. We are getting used to spreading the essence of Chinese culture and conception to the world,” said Chen, a member of the 11th National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
“The higher we stand, the more we appreciate our own possessions,” he noted.
Chen acknowledged that it is really a big challenge for the directors to have China better known to the world through the performances lasting more than one hour.
With the Olympics some 150 days away, Chen said he was under tremendous pressure, working more than ten hours a day and suffering from insomnia at night.
“Everyone conceived an ideal opening ceremony in mind and the Chinese people have pinned too much hope on the galas. The hardest thing for us is to present the fruits of Chinese and world civilization harmoniously,” Chen said.
Chen Weiya and Zhang Jigang were selected as assistants to director Zhang Yimou to mastermind both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics.
The three-and-a-half-hour opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics slated for Aug. 8 will include four parts — opening addresses, performances, entrance of athletes and lighting of the main flame, among which the performances are planned for one hour and a half.
China is resolved to make the ceremony a success. The first full dress rehearsal will be held on July 10 at the National Stadium, according to an earlier report.

from: xinhuanet.com