A strategic international business marketing and partnering
initiative for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was officially
launched on Friday.
Entitled China Access 2008, the program aims to help China
realize the unique economic development opportunities offered by
Beijing's hosting and staging of the world's largest sporting
event, said Andrew Gilkes, executive director of China Access
2008.
The program will involve hosting approximately 80 high-profile
business forums in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia,
inviting up to 20 "reciprocal" investment and business partnering
missions to China, holding a raft of business activities in key
Chinese cities, and briefing around 4,000 top managerial staff of
foreign companies on available opportunities.
It will also provide tangible strategic positioning and
practical and professional consulting services for China Access
2008's participants and business partners.
"The program intends to introduce US$1 billion of foreign direct
investment (FDI) for the 2008 Olympic Games, focusing on
bio-technology, IT, telecommunications, electronics, energy and
environmental protection, and the new materials sectors," Qiu
Shuiping, director-general of the Beijing Investment Promotion
Bureau, told a press conference on Friday.
The bureau is the official government partner of China Access
2008.
It is set to enable some 100 local high-tech enterprises to
become more global by facilitating international partnering
opportunities.
The program is run by a venture sponsored by eight transnational
banks.
The venture draws directly on the experience gained from
Investment 2000, involved in the Sydney 2000 Games.
Official statistics show that, during the Sydney 2000 Olympic
Games, US$520 million was generated by Investment 2000, which
targeted 2,000 offshore companies, delivered 50 briefings,
attracted 300 inbound visitors and created 1,000 job
opportunities.
(China Daily December 18, 2004)