Yu Zaiqing, vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COA), was elected member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Sydney on Wednesday.
After his election at the end of the IOC's three-day session, Yu told Xinhua that the election first of all brought glory to China because he was a candidate picked by the COA.
"I feel happy, but it's not only a personal matter," Yu said.
On the other hand, Yu said, it showed the IOC continued to place its emphasis on China's role in the Olympics.
On his part, He Zhenliang, IOC's executive member, told Xinhua that IOC reaffirmed COA's role in the Olympic movement by choosing Yu as its member.
He said the IOC would continue its reform process and China would keep on committing itself to the reforms.
The IOC ended its session by choosing new executives and expanding the body to meet the requirements of its reforms.
Thomas Bach, a former German Olympic champion, was elected as one of the IOC's four vice presidents.
The IOC filled out and added new posts to the ruling executive board and voted in 14 new members, including Yu, Bill Hybl, the US Olympic Committee president, and former Kenyan distance runner Kip Keino.
The IOC also chose five "honor members", including former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Italian industrialist Giovanni Agnelli.
(Xinhua)
