Chinese President Jiang Zemin met Jacques Rogge, President of the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) and some other IOC members
today in Guangzhou. Rogge and the IOC members are here attending
China's 9th National Games scheduled for November 11 to 25.
Jiang extended welcome to Rogge and other IOC members on behalf of
the Chinese government and people, and expressed his gratitude to
IOC for choosing Beijing to host the 29th Olympic Games in
2008.
The Chinese President told the guests that Beijing's success in
bidding for hosting the Olympics has greatly inspired millions of
Chinese people's enthusiasms for sports and the Olympic
movement.
This would not only promote popularity and development of the world
Olympic movement but also facilitate the cultural exchanges between
east and west, Jiang said.
Rogge said he was glad to meet President Jiang Zemin again and was
grateful to the Chinese host for inviting him to attend the
country's 9th National Games that is to open Sunday evening.
The IOC President spoke highly of China's accomplishments in sports
in recent years, saying he is confident that China is fully capable
of running a successful Olympic Games in 2008.
Rogge reiterated that IOC would closely collaborate with China and
guarantee the success of the 2008 Olympics.
Jiang appreciated this support, and pointed out that the current
National Games will not only review the development of China's
sports but also test the country's ability to host the Olympic
Games seven years later.
He
emphasized that the Chinese government will fully support the
Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee in its efforts to run
the 29th Olympics into a gala sports meet for the unity,
friendship, peace and advancement of people of the world in
accordance with the standard and demand of IOC.
Rogge and other IOC members have come to Guangzhou specially for
the 9th National Games at the invitation from the Chinese Olympic
Committee.
Present at the meeting were Li Changchun, member of the Political
Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and
Party Secretary of Guangdong, and other Chinese officials including
Wang Gang, Yuan Weimin, Lu Ruihua and Li Zhijian.
(Xinhua News
Agency November 12, 2001)