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With two months to go before the voting to decide the 2008 Olympic
hosting right, Beijing is busy preparing for the final presentation
to win the confidence of International Olympic Committee (IOC) members.
In an interview with several foreign guests, Jiang Xiaoyu, vice
president of Beijing Bid Committee, said, "To host the most
prestigious Games in the most populous developing country will be
a creation and promotion of the Olympic spirit."
The five foreign guests whom Jiang met are from German, Canada and
Japan. They are now working in Beijing and are interested in Beijing's
Olympic bid.
"Beijing's pursuit of the Olympic spirit and for a better environment
is sincere and longstanding, bearing nothing with the outcome of
the vote in July 13th in Moscow," he said.
Since the modern Olympic movement started in 1896, only two out
of the total of 24 Olympics were held in Asia--Tokyo in 1964 and
Seoul in 1988.
Jiang said, "Although China's achievement is blended in the
sports cause, the country has never had the honor to host an Olympic
games. To do so has become a dream of all the Chinese people, either
living in China or overseas."
The Olympic creed encourages more people to get better acquainted
through sports without regard to sex, race, color or religious belief.
The Taiwan Olympic Committee has formally expressed its support
for Beijing's bid. Though the International Olympic chapter limits
all contests to be held in the host city, Taiwan has indicated its
willingness to host some events if the IOC agrees. And Beijing has
showed interest to co-hosting the Games across the straits.
"If Beijing can get the hosing right, the 2008 Games would
be, in a true sense, the first Games run by developing countries
instead of always dominated by developed powers." Jiang stated.
Responding to Lisa Carducci's (Canada) worry about Beijing's ability
to apply advance technologies required by a modern Games, Jiang
explained, "As the most prestigious sports event, the Olympic
Games requires mass application of hi-tech research achievements
in the fields of doping tests, R&D of sports facilities, design
and construction of modern stadiums, efficient transportation network
management and even online Video on Demand.
"Though China is a developing country, Beijing has long taken
hi-tech industry as its development focus and placed immense resources
into scientific infrastructure construction. Beijing is home to
many universities and scientific research centers including some
labs of world advanced level. Over 70 percent of the academicians
of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering
are based in Beijing. Beijing is rich in talents, the software and
the infrastructure hardware to stage the 2008 Games," Jiang
emphasized.
Jiang did not avoid mentioning environment issues, saying, "Though
after two years' arduous efforts in environment improvement, the
result is far from satisfactory."
"Long before Beijing launched its bid for 2008 Games, the Beijing
municipality formulated an environment protection plan worth US$12
billion. By 2000, we had invested US$3.6 billion in environment
protection along with another US$5.5 billion investment in 2003-2008."
Jiang told Louise Cadieux from Canada.
According to Jiang, Beijing's air pollution is mainly dust discharged
by coal burning. According to Beijing's plan, annual gas consumption
will be raised from 1 billion cubic meters to 5-6 billion meters
to rectify the energy structure. And those pollution-causing enterprises
and factories will face upgrading, resettlement or closure. More
trees will be planted and car waste gas discharge control will be
tightened to improve air quality.
"Though the environment quality is not pleasant now, we will
make every effort to improve. We will make the air as good as that
of Paris when 2008 comes." Jiang promised.
Compared to the population condition, sports stadium and facilities
are relatively insufficient. With the improvement of living standards,
Chinese citizens show more interest in sports and exercising. More
and more sports zones have been built in communities and public
places.
"We need to build 32 new stadiums for the 2008 Games. Only
five are out of Beijing and only eight exclusive for Olympic Games.
The other 24 stadium, which have been included in the municipal
construction plan, have no bearing on the outcome of vote. Namely,
they will be constructed to facilitate Beijing citizens to step
into professional stadiums to have fun, no matter whether Beijing's
bid is successful or not," Jiang explained.
Predicting the vote in July 13 in Moscow, Jiang admitted a disadvantage
that only 49 percent of the IOC members have visited Beijing.
"I worry the IOC members with voting rights might lack sufficient
knowing of Beijing and western media probably do not give comprehensive
reports on Beijing." Jiang said.
Over 90 percent of IOC members have visited Paris, which might play
a role in their voting.
"No matter what will finally come to Beijing, Beijing's pursuit
of Olympic spirits will never change. More Chinese people will engage
in the Olympic movement and contribute to its spread and promotion,"
Jiang told the visiting foreign guests.
(CIIC 05/17/2001)
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