World healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson has become the ninth official partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The world's most comprehensive, broad-based health care company Johnson & Johnson will join the Games with the category covering consumer and personal care products, medical and diagnostic products and non-prescription medicines.

The company joins Bank of China, China Netcome, Sinopec, PetroChina, China Mobile, Volkswagen (China), adidas and Air China as an official partner.

Officials from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said they were so far satisfied with the marketing plan of the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG).

"I'm very, very impressed (with BOCOG's marketing programme)," said Gerhard Heiberg, IOC Marketing Commission chairman, at the signing ceremony yesterday.

Under the agreement, Johnson & Johnson will provide funding and services for the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, BOCOG, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and for Chinese teams in the 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games as well as the 2008 Games.

"The Beijing Olympic partners' selection is drawing to an end," said Director of BOCOG Marketing Department Yuan Bin, adding that "since March, the 2008 Olympic sponsor programme, a lower level marketing programme of BOCOG, has been under way."

(China Daily July 27, 2005)