Overseas newspapers and magazines are being sold at eight newsstands near the Olympic venues in Beijing and Qingdao, some of them being offered by retailers for the first time in China.

The publications are from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. They have been sold at newsstands since Monday, the China National Publications Import and Export (Group) Corp. (CNPIEC), importer and distributor of the publications, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Some overseas publications, such as the U.S.-based New York Times, the Washington Post and the Italy-based La Gazzetta dello Sport first went on sale in China this week, said a CNPIEC official surnamed Liu.

Fewer than 100 publications have gone on sale but the number will rise, he said.

The eight stands are as follows: one in the Olympic Village, three in the media village, one at the Main Press Center, one at the International Broadcast Center, one at the Beijing International Media Center and one at the Olympic Sailing Center in Qingdao, the coastal city in eastern Shandong Province that will host sailing events.

In addition, 74 of the 119 Olympic contracted hotels signed contracts with the CNPIEC to set up such newsstands. The publications will also be available at newsstands in the Beijing International Airport.

Anyone, foreign or local, can buy the publications, Jiao Guoying, CNPIEC general manager, was quoted by Tuesday's Beijing Youth Daily as saying.

All the newsstands will run about 15 hours a day till Sept. 24, when the Paralympics ends. During the Paralympic Games, they will also provide Braille books and publications.

The CNPIEC signed an agreement with the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games to supply overseas publications to the newsstands in Olympic venues and distribute them promptly.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2008)