奥运圣火照北京

June 8-9, 2004, the history shall forever remember the date. The Olympic Flame came down to China's Divine Land, with mankind's yearning for peace, friendship, civilization and progress and with the Greek people's friendship for the Chinese people. From Olympia to the Great Wall, the blazing Olympic torch brought the Olympic spirit to Beijing, and, after compromising the Chinese people's expectation for peace, their aspiration for participation and their appreciation for the Olympic spirit, the torch traveled across the five continents to every corner of the earth with the Chinese people's hearty blessing. With the centennial impressiveness of the Olympics and the millennial civilization of the Chinese history, the Olympic Flame tied Beijing and Athens, the Chinese people and the people of the other countries together closely.

Wherever the torch went, whatever was focused on by the lens of TV camera was like unfolding one by one the beautiful picture rolls of the unique eastern traditional culture. Beijing, the city built more than 3,000 years ago and regarded as the ancient oriental capital for over 850 years, is always radiating its charm which exists along the wide the streets and narrow lanes, between the high buildings and large mansions. Its primitive simplicity and latest modernity, its dignity and vigor is showing Beijing's wide opening-up scope, displaying the Chinese nation's progress and civilization, relating how they live actively and optimistically, enjoy their life styles and yearn for the Olympics, and presenting the Chinese people's passion of how they are longing and preparing for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Not only in Beijing, but also in Qingdao, the co-host city with a

sub-site for competition for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, people, in their own way, express their warm welcome to the Flame, with countless sails plowing through the blue sea and numerous drums sounding loudly together on sand beach.

On August 29th, Beijing shall take hold of the Olympic flag from Athens. From that moment onward, the attention of the whole world shall be focused on Beijing and its preparatory work shall be arranged in a new schedule. We will make all the preparations proceed forward to the highest standard, in the highest quality and with the highest level. We will far more widely and deeply realize the ideals of the "Green, Hi-tech, People's Olympics". We believe that, with the supports from the IOC, from the friends of other countries, from the overseas Chinese, from our Party Central Committee and State Council and from the whole Chinese people, we are sure to bring into effect the strategic blueprint of "New Beijing, Great Olympics" and we are sure to dedicate to the world this Olympic Games which perfectly embodies the Olympic ideal and spirit.

We wish the Olympic Flame to blaze forever!

We hope to meet in Beijing!

May the Olympic torch be handed down from generation to generation!

May the Olympic spirit be promoted in the whole world!