China Bid of the Olympic Games

Hosting the 2008 Olympic Games not only can help spread the Olympic Spirit, but also can be helpful to upgrade the status of the hosting country, improve the population quality and develop the economy. This is why so many countries bid for the Games every time.China has a population accounting for one fifth of the world's total population. Therefore, it is a matter of course for China to bid for the Olympic Games.In early 1945, when China had just won the Anti-Japanese War, the first Chinese Olympic commissioner Wang Zhengyan, Chinese gymnasts Yuan Dunli and Dong Shouyi lodged a request to hold the 15th Olympic Games in 1952. The action created a big stir in China.

Since the reforms and opening-up, China's overall national strength has increased substantially and the population quality has also been greatly improved. China has held the Asian Games, the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled and other large-scale international sports competitions. China has accumulated lots of experience. Now it is time for China to host the Olympic Games. With the concern and support of the Chinese Party and leaders, Beijing bid for the 2000 Olympic Games in 1991. However, for some reasons and the obstructions from some countries, Sydney in Australia gained only more than two votes than China and won the bid finally. China lost the bid, but its participation made the world get a further understanding of China and also helped China to know the world better.

The first failure of the bid didn't reduce the Chinese people's eager of hosting the Games. In 1999, due to the reason of last failure and sufficient preparation this time, Chinese Olympic Games Committee agreed on Beijing's request of hosting the 2008 Olympic Games. The mayor of Beijing himself sent the application to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland.

On July 13, 2001, in the 112th plenary meeting of International Olympic Committee, Beijing won the bid overwhelmingly and became the hosting country of the 2008 Olympic Games. The Olympic dream of thousands of millions of people came true at last.

[ Source : from chinaculture.org ]