China claims six gold medals at Shooting World Cup


The awarding ceremony (Photo credit: China Foto Press)


BEIJING, April 20) -- Chinese veteran Qu Ridong defeated the current world record holder, Vincent Hancock of the United States, with a total score of 144, winning the last gold medal at the Good Luck Beijing 2008 ISSF World Cup on Sunday, April 20, at the Beijing Shooting Range CTF.

Amid heavy rain on the last competition day, Qu, the 2006 Qingyuan World Cup champion, shot down the last gold in the Men's Skeet event for the host team. Russian Konstantin Tsuranov won a silver medal with a score of 143, followed by Andrea Filippetti of Italy with 143.

Frustrated by continuous misplay in the afternoon's final, the 19-year-old Hancock, the top seed qualifier, dropped out of gold medal contention and placed fourth.

Earlier in the afternoon, another young French shooter, Josselin Henry, surprisingly earned the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions title and helped bring France just behind host China in the medal tally with three gold medals. Russia followed with two.

"Chinese people would be very happy because they are doing an excellent job," said ISSF Vice President Medhat Wahdan after the final competition. He was particularly satisfied with the green energy applied at the event.




The project of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Image and Look aims at creating unique, complete and consistent visual images for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games through architectural development and integrated application and management of the image elements of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. The Olympic image elements are basic elements of the project of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Image and Look, which include the Olympic Symbol, Beijing Olympic Games emblem, its color system, theme slogan, secondary marks, mascots, Olympic Pictogram, core patterns and a set of photographic images. The Olympic Rings and the image elements of the Beijing Olympic Games, whose design has been completed, symbolize the Olympic Spirit and the concepts of this edition of the Olympic Games, and serve as the basis for the creation of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Image and Look. They are the carrier to showcase to the world the culture and tradition, as well as the city images and human spirit of China and Beijing. They constitute significant wealth of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.







The Olympic Emblem


Every emblem of the Olympics tells a story. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games emblem "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing" is filled with Beijing's hospitality and hopes, and carries the city's commitment to the world.

Milestone

"Dancing Beijing" is a milestone of the Olympics. It serves as a classic chapter of the Olympic epic inscribed by the spirit of the Chinese nation, calligraphed by the deeper import of the ancient civilization, and molded by the character of Cathay's descendents. It is concise yet deep inside, bringing forth the city's gradual changes and development. It appears dignified yet bears a tune of romance, reflecting the nation's thoughts and emotions.

In the lead up to the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the emblem will attract more and more people from around the world to Beijing and China to join the great celebration with the Chinese people.

Commitment

"Dancing Beijing" is a Chinese Seal. It is engraved with commitment made to the Olympic Movement by a country that has 56 ethnic groups and a population of 1.3 billion. While witnessing the advocacy of the Olympic Spirit by a nation with both ancient civilization and modern culture, it also unfolds a future-oriented city's pursuit of the Olympic Ideal.

It is a symbol of trust and an expression of self confidence, standing for the solemn yet sacred promise that Beijing - the host city of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - has made to the world and to all mankind.

"Complete sincerity can affect even metal and stone (literally meaning sincerity smoothes the way to success)." The inception of our ancestors' wisdom and the image of a seal made of metal and stone allow the emblem to present Chinese people's respect and honesty for the Olympics.

The moment we earnestly imprint the emblem with the "Chinese seal", Beijing is about to show the world a grand picture of "peace, friendship, and progress of mankind" and to strike up the passionate movement of "faster, higher, and stronger" for mankind.

Image

"Dancing Beijing" serves as the city's foremost appearance. It is an image that shows the eastern ways of thinking and the nation's lasting appeal embodied in the Chinese characters. It is an expression that conveys the unique cultural quality and elegance of Chinese civilization.

With inspiration from the traditional Chinese art form - calligraphic art, the character "Jing" (the latter of the city's name) is developed into the form of a dancing human being, reflecting the ideal of a "New Olympics". The words "Beijing 2008" also resembles the vivid shapes of Chinese characters in handwriting, voicing in concise strokes of the countless feelings Chinese people possess towards the Olympics.

As people ponder on the rich connotations and charms of these Chinese characters, a "New Beijing" has thus been brought forward.

Beauty

"Dancing Beijing" is a favorite color of the Chinese people. The color "red" is intensively used in the emblem, hushing the passion up to a new level. It carries Chinese people's longing for luck and happiness and their explanation of life.

Red is the color of the Sun and the Holy Fire, representing life and a new beginning. Red is mind at ease, symbol of vitality, and China's blessing and invitation to the world.

Hero

"Dancing Beijing" calls upon heroes. Olympic Games functions as the stage where heroes are made known, miracles created and glories earned, and where every participant constitutes an indispensable part of the occasion.

The powerful and dynamic design of the emblem is a life poem written by all participants with their passion, affections, and enthusiasm. It is an oath every participant takes to contribute power and wisdom to the Olympics.

The emblem cheers for arts and for the Olympic heroes, who pass down the essence of the Olympic Spirit, which well connects sports and cultures.

Spirit

"Dancing Beijing" extends the totem of the Chinese nation. The form of a running human being stands for the beauty and magnificence of life. Its graceful curves are like the body of a wriggling dragon, relating the past and future of one same civilization; they are like rivers, carrying the century-old history and the nation's pride; they are like veins, pulsing with vitality of life.

The intrinsic values of sports - athlete-centered and people-oriented - are well defined and upgraded in an artistic way in "the dance of Beijing." We sing if words fail to explain it all, and we dance if the singing does not explicitly tell the meaning.

Vigorous Beijing is looking forward to the celebration in 2008 and the Olympics wait all mankind to dance together.

Invitation

"Dancing Beijing" is a kind invitation. The open arms in the emblem say that China is opening its arms to welcome the rest of the world to join the Olympics, a celebration of "peace, friendship and progress of mankind."

"Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?" The idiom portrays the feelings of friendly and hospitable Chinese people and expresses the sincerity of the city.

Come to Beijing, take a good look at the historical heritages of China's Capital city, and feel the pulse of the country's modernization;

Come, share every piece of its joy, and experience the vigor of the country;

Come, and let us together weave a peaceful and wonderful dream.









'One World One Dream'


"One World One Dream" fully reflects the essence and the universal values of the Olympic spirit -- Unity, Friendship, Progress, Harmony, Participation and Dream. It expresses the common wishes of people all over the world, inspired by the Olympic ideals, to strive for a bright future of Mankind. In spite of the differences in colors, languages and races, we share the charm and joy of the Olympic Games, and together we seek for the ideal of Mankind for peace. We belong to the same world and we share the same aspirations and dreams.

"One World One Dream" is a profound manifestation of the core concepts of the Beijing Olympic Games. It reflects the values of harmony connoted in the concept of "People's Olympics", the core and soul of the three concepts -- "Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics". While "Harmony of Man with Nature" and "Peace Enjoys Priority" are the philosophies and ideals of the Chinese people since ancient times in their pursuit of the harmony between Man and Nature and the harmony among people, building up a harmonious society and achieving harmonious development are the dream and aspirations of ours. It is our belief that peace and progress, harmonious development, living in amity, cooperation and mutual benefit, and enjoying a happy life are the common ideals of the people throughout the world.

"One World, One Dream" is simple in expressions, but profound in meaning. It is of China, and also of the world. It conveys the lofty ideal of the people in Beijing as well as in China to share the global community and civilization and to create a bright future hand in hand with the people from the rest of the world. It expresses the firm belief of a great nation, with a long history of 5,000 years and on its way towards modernization, that is committed to peaceful development, harmonious society and people's happiness. It voices the aspirations of 1.3 billion Chinese people to contribute to the establishment of a peaceful and bright world.

The English translation of the slogan is distinctive in sentence structure. The two "One's are perfectly used in parallel, and the words "World" and "Dream" form a good match. The slogan is simple, meaningful, inspiring, and easy to remember, read and spread.

In Chinese, the word "tongyi", which means "the same", is used for the English word "One". It highlights the theme of "the whole Mankind lives in the same world and seeks for the same dream and ideal".









Beijing Olympic Cultural Festival Symbol

The design of the Cultural Festival Symbol shows a human being and a lantern dancing joyfully. Lantern is used at every traditional Chinese festival. It symbolizes reunion and other happy occasions, and assembles the soul of the traditional Chinese culture.

The Beijing Olympic Cultural Festival is also one of the predominant cultural celebrations of mankind. The whole country is rejoiced at the occasion, while Beijing is decorated with lanterns and streamers to welcome guests from elsewhere.

Chinese unique artistic form -- calligraphic art is adopted in the beaming design of the secondary mark, which sets off against the Olympic Emblem "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing."









Environmental Symbol of BEIJING 2008

The symbol, which was created using a calligraphic art form, is composed of human and tree-like shapes. The logo consists of the crown of a tree and the shape of a human being, which are used to create the form of a large tree reaching the sky. The image represents harmony and unity between human beings and nature. Just like swinging coloured strips that encircle and cross each other, the green lines form a luxuriant crown of a tree and recall flowers in full bloom, embodying the sustainable development of nature.








Volunteers Symbol of BEIJING 2008

The shape of heart, composed of interweaved hearts, signifies that volunteers, athletes, the Olympic family, and all guests would render service and compassion in a joint effort to glorify the Olympic Movement.

The shape of a dancing human stands for volunteers with dedicated spirit. The sincere smiles, outstanding services, and friendly actions of the volunteers will evoke a strong echo in every participant of the Olympics.

Chinese unique artistic form -- calligraphic art is adopted in the beaming design of the secondary mark, which sets off against the Olympic Emblem "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing."









The Official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace -- and good wishes from China -- to children all over the world.

Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame.

Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow.

When you put their names together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni -- they say "Welcome to Beijing," offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games.

Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky -- all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.

Spreading Traditional Chinese Good Wishes Wherever They Go

In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing -- and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe.

At the heart of their mission -- and through all of their work -- Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games -- and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.


In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.

The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.


Jingjing makes children smile -- and that's why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing's headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature's gifts -- and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring.


In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport -- and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 -- and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people -- can be felt. The fiery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals -- with just a touch of China's traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring.


Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China's landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying's flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing's commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring.



Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini's figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced "yan" in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city. Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.






Pictograms
Named "the beauty of seal characters" and with strokes of seal characters as their basic form, the Pictograms of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games integrate pictographic charm of inscriptions on bones and bronze objects in ancient China with simplified embodiment of modern graphics, making them recognizable, rememberable and easy to use.

Full coverage: Co-host cities of Beijing Olympics brief press on their preparations

Scene of the press conference
Date/Time: 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Venue: Beijing Olympic Media Center (No.55, Chaoyangmennei Street)
Wang Hui:
This is a routine press conference, however, there will be some things different. Today we have BOCOG officials and also officials from the six co-host cities. How are they making preparations? Quite often we hear questions like this. Yesterday we organized a tour to Qingdao. Those who have visited there got first hand information.

Wang Hui
Now let me introduce to you the people present at this conference. Wang Haitao is the assistant chairman from Qingdao for sailing event; Lam Woon-kwong from Equestrian Events (Hong Kong) of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Company Limited; Lin Weiguo, director of the BOCOG Soccer Project Team; Xu Xingjia deputy director for the Tianjin competition district; and Xie Delong, director of the Tianjin competition district.
They made a special point to the press conference. They are very willing to share information about their preparation work.
First, let's have Wang Haitao from Qingdao for the sailing event.

Wang Haitao
Wang Haitao:
Good afternoon. I'm very glad to have this opportunity. We'd like to share with you information about the sailing event in Qingdao. Due to time constraints, we'll just give you updates -- some information with news value. And certainly you will be able to ask questions.
First our preparations. The Olympic sailing competition will be held from August 9 to 23 during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games period, with 11 events of 9 classes (11 gold medals). Nearly 1000 athletes, coaches and judges from over 60 countries will participate in the competition. Paralympic sailing competition will be held from September 8 to 13, with 3 events (Single-person keelboat, two-person keelboat and three-person keelboat) and 3 gold medals will be awarded. There will also be the opening and closing ceremony for these two events.
The Sailing Athletes Village will start to receive athletes for the events in time. The preparation has been going smoothly. We are going to introduce a Qingdao model for the first time. We built a spectator dam on land for spectators to watch the sailing event and also the medal stadium is very close to the dam where the spectators will be seated. This is called by the International Sailing Association as the Qingdao model. We achieved quite a few international standards, highly acclaimed by IASAF.
Traditionally, there are only long distance sight-seeing vessels which are four hours. Now we have short distance vessels ready, 1.5 hours, for a price of only 15 yuan. The long-distance fee is 160 yuan. The spectators seated on the dam will pay only 20 yuan. If you suffer from seasickness you can just sit on the dam to watch the event.
We have policies and the standards for media operations. We have the 8,000-square-meter venue media center. We also have another media center outside of the venue for non-registered reporters. The two media centers will open to journalists at the same time. We've also created cultural venues.
The train station has undergone renovation. In July, its capacity will be doubled. By July 1, the traveling hours from Beijing to Qingdao will be only 4 hours.
Concerning the torch relay, we have designed the torch relay route with escorts and bearers finalized, totaling 138. The event will last six hours on July 24.
Civic operational ability has been advanced. We have a security leading team to coordinate for the Games, and we have done rehearsals twice which cover the venue area, the peripheral area on sea and overland to ensure the safety and security of the participants.
This is my brief introduction. In August and September Qingdao will have its best season. I hope you can pay your visit there and enjoy the event as well as the smiles of our local people.
In August Hong Kong will have humid and hot weather therefore for the past two and a half years we collected a lot of data and came up with a plan. And last year during the test event we took into consideration the hot weather and the operation was very satisfactory.
The mass media is a very important part and we have strengthened our press centers. When you go there you will find very comfortable working conditions -- technology and telecommunications especially. We have signed the contracts already. For ticketing we have a good result. We sold tickets not only to local spectators but also spectators from the Chinese mainland. According to requirements of the IOC and BOCOG we provide transport services -- not only for people but also for horses. In the protocol we have taken the guests as our orientation and in our airport we have four reception centers and at different venues we have different services.
For the welcoming party and cultural events we all have plans in place.
One important link is volunteers' service. In Hong Kong we have very good laws and regulations. We have received 16,000 applications and done screening and have a large number of volunteers. It seems Hong Kong people are excited about the Olympics. For us we are very excited for the competition and we hope it can provide a record in our history and we are doing our best to cooperate with Beijing.

Wang Hui:
Now, Lam Woon-kwong from Equestrian Events (Hong Kong) of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Company Limited will brief you on their preparation for the equestrian events.
Lam Woon-kwong:
I will give you a brief introduction of our preparation. With the support of the local government, even though timing is limited we are making the best use of our time. Horses will be the main draw so we are going to have preparations and measures for good care of horses and we have the venues. The main venue is in Shatin and the main facilities have been completed. There are 18,000 seats for spectators and an administering center. By the end of May, all of the facilities will be ready.

Lam Woon-kwong
The other venue is in Beas River because in Shatin we can't build a long enough track. We are now building up the track and barriers and by the end of July everything will be ready and we will have a handover of operation.
For the non-competition facilities, we have three hotels for the athletes and for the Olympic families. You can find details about the three hotels on our website.
For the operation we enjoy smooth progress and we have also technical officials including 120 technical officials from overseas. We have also invited well-known equestrian experts. You can also visit our website for the schedule.
In terms of security, we have the local police providing the security safeguard. We are also going to provide internal security management. Accreditation will be important in security. We are processing applications in work with BOCOG. We have four centers to facilitate participants, they can choose different centers. We have designated several major hospitals to provide 24 hour medical services. We have full-time doctors and nurses to work for the Olympic Games. As to the doping testing, we will take samples in Hong Kong and have the testing in Beijing.
We provide services for the safety of the horses. Hong Kong JC gave us very good support.
In August Hong Kong will have humid and hot weather therefore for the past two and a half years we collected a lot of data and came up with a plan. And last year during the test event we took into consideration the hot weather and the operation was very satisfactory.
The mass media is a very important part and we have strengthened our press centers. When you go there you will find very comfortable working conditions -- technology and telecommunications especially. We have signed the contracts already. For ticketing we have a good result. We sold tickets not only to local spectators but also spectators from the Chinese mainland. According to requirements of the IOC and BOCOG we provide transport services -- not only for people but also for horses. In the protocol we have taken the guests as our orientation and in our airport we have four reception centers and at different venues we have different services.
For the welcoming party and cultural events we all have plans in place.
One important link is volunteers' service. In Hong Kong we have very good laws and regulations. We have received 16,000 applications and done screening and have a large number of volunteers. It seems Hong Kong people are excited about the Olympics. For us we are very excited for the competition and we hope it can provide a record in our history and we are doing our best to cooperate with Beijing.

Wang Hui:
Thank you, Mr. Lam. I think the introduction to the Hong Kong situation is exciting.
Let us move on to Football, Mr. Lin Weiguo.
Lin Weiguo:
Today, entrusted by BOCOG, I'd like to introduce to you the situation for the football competition. Here I'd like to provide you with some information and if there's anything I've missed I'd like to invite our representatives and colleagues for other cities to proceed.


Lin Weiguo
Now I'd like to discuss the following five aspects.
I'd like to introduce to you the information on the operations and structure. As you know that for BOCOG they also have general administration and I came here in March 2005. And for football we have different areas so the situation is quite different. In 2006 we had working groups -- Mr. Yang to be the director and Mr. Zhang to be deputy director. Under this BOCOG football command group we also had established the BOCOG working team. They are responsible for coordinating all of the work in both cities. We have clear divisions for the city working teams. They are responsible only on the city level and for us we work as a supervisory organization. As for the management structure in other cities, they are quite similar to ours. For each city it has its own organizing committee for each venue and there should be such an organizing committee. All of the committees follow BOCOG's rules so we have a quite complicated structure for the venues at organizing level -- it is responsible for the organizing work.
Next I would like to talk about the work we've fulfilled up to now.
Our responsibilities are first of all with the general Olympic requirements and with FIFA's requirements, for example, the standards for the hardware and the software. Secondly, we supervise the four venues including Beijing in terms of the preparation and the working standards. Thirdly, we are responsible for the Games time coordination and guidance. For example we have the center which is responsible for the Games time work and we have also the venue committee responsible for the work in October 2006. This team was put into operation. We have basically fulfilled our responsibilities. I have a very thick pile of materials -- you can see -- we have compiled BOCOG's requirements for the venues. It is about the guidance for the work in different venue cities. It includes the management personnel and operational structure. Besides this menu, we have translated the new city info to be provided to people in the four cities. We provide these standards to the different cities.
For Beijing, in terms of competition venues, all of them are in preparation and we have basically completed the volunteers' equipments. We have basically completed all the tasks.
Recently on the 19th and 21st we will have some events. On the 19th we will have the games for Women -- America and Africa. Brazil and Ghana teams will be competing with each other at the Workers' Stadium. Yesterday Brazil and Ghana teams arrived safely, and have already held the first training. In terms of the preparation for these three events we have already completed the preparation. If you're interested for questions and answers I'd like to introduce to you the events.
We have basically determined the agenda. Before the opening ceremony we won't allow any football competition to be held in Beijing. There will be more competitions for football outside Beijing and they are evenly distributed and I really want to emphasize equality between men and women. Up until now 10 games were allocated to in Beijing an
China Business News:
For Lam Woon-kwong and Mr. Lin: Just now I have looked at your introduction to the equestrian teams and there is one point concerning the technology and the horses. In terms of the doping test and technology, can you go into details for that kind of high technology? And another question, I think when watching football we can often drink beer and buy things. I wonder if you can tell us something concerning these sales.
Lam Woon-kwong:
Concerning the horses, after they arrive in Hong Kong -- we are going to provide as comfortable and secure a place as we can. That's why especially we established a system which runs 24 hours a day providing air-conditioned stables for the horses because the horses are going to stay in the stables and it's a key point for them to have good rest.
For test events we have already recognition from the experts: they think we have the most advanced technology. In the stables they also mentioned that the climate in Hong Kong is quite humid and hot but there is no problem closer to the horses because of our high technology. After the competition we also want to reduce horses' temperature -- if we can't do it there might be problems with the horses. We have constructed the places that can provide shelter for the horses. After competition we have a water spray system so that the horses' temperature can be recovered to normal temperature within two minutes. All these different kinds of technology have been approved.
Lin Weiguo:
Concerning sales I'm not quite clear that for the general administration whether you can provide such things. So I would like to invite you to contact people from administration of sport.
South China Morning Post:
Mr. Wang & Mr. Lam: About this spectator dam -- what is the capacity? How many people will sit on this dam? And on days where there's very little wind and these people have to be offshore what will you do with these people? Refund their tickets? In terms of Hong Kong, there have been some fears among the Swiss and Austrians about the conditions -- can you now for the last time confirm that everything has been done in terms of the horses? And for Mr. Lin -- in terms of every country, there are fans at football matches who misbehave. Can you ensure that everything has been done for security and safety?
Wang Haitao:
I'd like to answer the first question for the spectator dam. We have constructed it in line with the overall structure. Last year and the year before we had test events. Last year we did a calculation -- close to 10,000 watched the 2007 sailing event. It's quite a miracle. I've been to Athens. Each day they can only send five-six ships and each can hold only 50-60 people to watch the event. So this dam can largely increase the number of people who can enjoy the event. The low ticket price will be our strategy. The venue is on the sea but not on shore. This dam is in a very lovely position, diagonal to the sea line, where you can enjoy scenery. Even if can' get a refund won't mind – you can enjoy beautiful scenery with family members instead.
Lam Woon-kwong:
Let me answer questions about the health and safety of horses. The International Equestrian Organization held an expert seminar, gathering together experts. They came up with three important conclusions. One: as an organizer Hong Kong has done what they could with what they had. Second, horses performed quite well in the test event in 2007 because we arranged the top facilities and the top veterinarians for sports. And third, in conclusion -- yes in August Hong Kong will have hot and humid weather but the competition can still go on. Certainly we want participants to adopt what is a responsible attitude that the horse riders, the jockeys need to go through training to make adjustments to the hot weather. What is more important, the jockeys have to prepare their horses according to the guidelines of the weather, so long as jockeys adopt the active responsibilities and take measures so the success can be ensured.
Lin Weiguo:
The question you raised had two parts. Football as you know is the number one sport in the world. It's hard to ensure not even small incidents, which is almost impossible. But from a security perspective, we want to prevent certain incidents from happening; after incidents we need a settlement mechanism. China's security force is among the first-class in the world and we emphasize security facilities. We adopted hi-tech to ensure security. Therefore certain tools and apparatuses cannot be brought into the venue by spectators. We also have an emergency response system and sufficient forces.
From operational and planning perspective, we can say that we can reach our goal and we also have done numerous rehearsals and Asia Cup in 2004 was held in Guangzhou and in 2007 we had FIFA women's tournament, so we have accumulated experience. We have international and domestic spectators. We want to make sure there are no hooligans getting into venues. For Chinese spectators in different cities we have education programs to make sure they'll watch games in a civilized way, but it's hard to say whether we will have fans making trouble but we are trying to prevent fans from making troubles but under the direction of IOC we will try to make sure no trouble occurs.
Bloomberg:
I want to ask about the total investment in Hong Kong. How long will it take you to get a full return? Also, for the Qingdao sailing event?
Wang Haitao:
The total investment is RMB 3.7 billion -- close to half of it is for the ship yard relocation and another half for the construction of facilities. The sources of the investment are from the premium price in land selling in the peripheral area. We are going to collect a return later on, for example, Haier is going to buy a piece of land and a Continental hotel will be taken over by the Continental Chain Group. Our press center will be turned into a training and educational center to train athletes and we will also have big events hosted there -- for example -- other sailing competitions will be using that venue. By staging those events we can get a return. We also have seven piers. These piers have already been booked by different clients so the private yachts can be moored there, so the speed of the return can be very quick and can even be a driver for the local economy.
Lam Woon-kwong:
In Hong Kong, investment is from the Hong Kong JC. It's about 1.2 billion HK dollars. After the event the Hong Kong JC and the IOC will sign a letter of intention that in Hong Kong there will be a permanent museum on equestrian sport and there will be a community equestrian center to promote equestrian sport in Asia. In that way we can get return on our investment.
Hong Kong Cable TV:
I would like to ask Mr. Lam a question. Concerning your security work in equestrian events on venues, how will you do the assessment? And when there is a possibility of a terrorist attack aiming at the horses instead of people or facilities, do you have a plan to protect the horses from terrorists?
Lam Woon-kwong:
Security is important link under all of the games. Under the "one country, two systems" policy, it is really the task of the local police in protection of horses and horse riders. We have division of work of course. Anti terrorism, keeping social honors, prevention of certain crimes – these main tasks are with the local police. As with our organization, our security guards are to come up with internal security regulations, providing security for the trainings within the venue facilities. We have a close contact with IOC and BOCOG. And we also have assessment on the risks and there is something of a secret here so I cannot disclose everything.
A foreign newspaper:
Almost all the athletes I talk to complain there is no wind. I want to know how many reserve days the sailing competition will have and if you can compare it with Athens and the Sydney Olympic Games?
Wang Haitao:
Actually, for the sailing event it will depend upon the heavens. If there is no strong wind we have no solution. But anyway, we have held the games trials for two years. I know that for some Western countries they do not trust us and in fact we have no experience in this regard. But after two years I am convinced we have a competitive team and a qualified venue. In 2006 we reached a 91 percent, and the rate for 2007 is 78 percent a bit lower than the previous year. I believe we can finish all the items if there is strong wind only in one day during the Games.
Wang Hui:
Last question.
China Youth Daily:
I wonder what are your preparations for tourists.
Wang Haitao:
For Qingdao, we have already established two centers: a city center to respond to the needs of tourists. In Qingdao, the number of visitors has increased from 18 million in 2002 to currently 30 million, and the number of overseas visitors increased from 500,000 in 2002 to 1 million in 2007. In 2002 we had only 60-plus hotels. Now we have about 130 three-star hotels alone., therefore we can guarantee safe accommodation. 2008-04-16 16:16:07
Lam Woon-kwong:
The annual figure for tourists in Hong Kong is around 25 million. August is not the busiest tourist season in Hong Kong, so accommodation is not a problem. We have been collaborating closely with Hong Kong tourism authorities, concerning ticketing and hotel reservations ticketing. All of us are quite looking forward to this August.
Wang Hui:
On behalf of all the speakers, we'd like you to pay attention to the events not only held in Beijing but also in other cities. Thank you.

The Beijing Olympic Torch

A general view of the torch

3D animation

The Beijing Olympic Torch boasts strong Chinese characteristics, and showcases Chinese design and technical capabilities. It embodies the concepts of a Green Olympics, a High-tech Olympics and the People's Olympics.
The Key Facts about the Torch
The torch is 72 centimetres high, weighs 985 grams and is made of aluminium. The torch is of a curved surface form, with etching and anodizing being used during its production. A torch can usually keep burning for approximately 15 minutes in conditions where the flame is 25 to 30 centimetres high in a windless environment. The torch has been produced to withstand winds of up to 65 kilometres per hour and to stay alight in rain up to 50mm an hour. The flame can be identified and photographed in sunshine and areas of extreme brightness. The fuel is propane which is in accordance with environmental guidelines. The material of its form is recyclable.
The Artistic and Technical Features of the Torch
The torch of the Beijing Olympic Games has a very strong Chinese flavour. It demonstrates the artistic and technical level of China. It also conveys the message of a Green Olympics, a High-tech Olympics and the People's Olympics. The shape of the paper scroll and the lucky clouds graphic, expresses the idea of harmony. Its stable burning technique and adaptability to the environment have reached a new technical level. The torch of the Beijing Olympic Games is designed, researched and produced in China. BOCOG owns all intellectual property rights.
The Fuel for the Torch
Under the concept of a Green Olympics, environmental protection was a key element listed in the invitation documents to the design companies, by BOCOG. The fuel of the torch is propane, which is a common fuel which also comes with a low price. It is composed of carbon and hydrogen. No material, except carbon dioxide and water remain after the burning, eliminating any risk of pollution.
The Burning System
Its stable burning technique and adaptability to the environment have reached a new technical level. It can stay alight in severe weather conditions such as strong wind, rain, snow, hail, etc. The flame can also be identified in sunshine and areas of extreme brightness so as to satisfy the requirements of capturing photographic images and video footage.
The Design Timelines
2005 August BOCOG developed the design concepts and requirements of the torch.
2005 December BOCOG recruited potential torch designs from the design society. In total, BOCOG received 388 pieces of works.
2006 June-August BOCOG selected the structural designer and the burning system designer.
2007 January Beijing Olympic Torch was approved by IOC

Design of the Medal for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Obverse face of the medal

Reverse side of the medal

The medal for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is designed with inspiration coming from "bi", China's ancient jade piece inscribed with dragon pattern. The medals, made of gold and jade, symbolize nobility and virtue and are embodiment of traditional Chinese values of ethics and honor, sending forth strong Chinese flavor.
The medals are 70mm in diameter and 6mm in thickness. On the front side, the medal adopts standard design prescribed by the International Olympic Committee. While on the back, the medal is inlaid with jade with the Beijing Games emblem engraved in the metal centerpiece. The design inspiration of the medal hook derives from jade "huang", a ceremonial jade piece with decoration of double dragon pattern and "Pu", the reed mat pattern.
Noble and elegant, the Beijing Olympic Games medal is a blending of traditional Chinese culture and the Olympism. It gives the winners of the Games great honor and acclamation as recognition of their achievement.
Note: bi, a flat jade disc with a circular hole in the center
Huang, a semi circular jade ornament

Obverse side of the medal and the ribbon

Reverse side of the medal and the ribbon

Really very grateful to you in such a special period of quiet support of China, you are the best! August you can hope to Beijing personally, I will warm hospitality you

Do not have to thank me, I am very honoured to know you, you are 1.4 billion Chinese people's friends, we should all thank you, welcome you to China