China welcomes foreign leaders and heads of states to attend the Olympic activities and will provide conveniences for them, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Foreign leaders and heads of states are being invited by their respective national Olympic committees as registered distinguished guests to attend Olympic activities, ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a regular press conference. In line with the regulations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the usual practice of the Olympic Games, China would provide conveniences for foreign leaders and heads of states attending such activities.

As to hostile forces disturbing the Olympiad, Qin said no force could stand in the way of China's development or a successful Olympic Games. "We are confident and capable of holding the Games with distinctive features and high quality."

Any attempt at smearing the Olympic flame would be condemned by all those who supported the spirit of the Games, and would be doomed to failure, he said.

China was always devoted to improving human rights. Any people without prejudice would admit the progress achieved in the country's human rights situation, Qin said.

China's human rights course is decided not by the willingness and standard of any other nation, force or organization, but by its own 1.3 billion population.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2008)