Special report:   2008 Olympic Games 

Profile: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown 

    BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- "This is going to be the greatest Olympic Games ever," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Saturday morning when visiting the National Stadium, the main venue of the Beijing Olympic Games.

    "This is going to be the greatest Olympic Games ever," Brown said after coming out of the stadium, "I'm flattered that British design has been involved in it... for the athletes, it's going to be great, for the public, it's going to be wonderful."

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (C) visits the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in Beijing Jan. 19, 2008. Brown arrived in Beijing on Friday morning for a three-day visit.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "A great stadium, a huge project by the people of Beijing, a great contribution by China to world peace and prosperity, because the theme of the Games is 'one world, one dream'," Brown told reporters.

    Brown is the first foreigner to be allowed into the National Stadium, nicked-named the "Bird's Nest" due to its shape, according to Henry Zhang, deputy general manager of the National Stadium Co., Ltd.

    Zhang said Brown walked down the bleachers to the running tracks to the southeastern side of the stadium. He also watched a miniature exhibition on the stadium that includes contents such as its energy-saving designs and uses after the Games.

    Brown's Bird's Nest visit lasted some 20 minutes. He was given a gift, a model of the Bird's Nest, by Vice Mayor of Beijing Chen Gang.

    "Young British athletes and young Chinese athletes are going to work together for the next few years... we are going to have deep cooperation that has ever been seen... and I hope as we will win some medals in Beijing in 2008, we will be prepared to win even more medals in London in 2012," said Brown.

    "When people come to Beijing and when they see this Olympics stadium, they see this magnificent effort by the Chinese people at making one of the greatest games in history," said Brown, "and I also believed that young British athletes who come here will be inspired, so that we can do even better in London in 2012,"

    Brown's accompany included his wife Sarah Brown and a retired British middle-distance athlete, Kelly Holmes, who won gold medals in the 800 meters and the 1500 meters at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

    Holmes said the Bird's Nest is a fantastic stadium and the Beijing Olympic Games is going to be a fantastic games.

    "I'm sure China will do their utmost to make it as comfortable as they possibly can for the athletes involved... I think people are going to be here to achieve their own dreams," said Holmes.

    When asked whether he will attend the games, Brown said, "Yes, I'm looking forward to being here at the games in August, to again congratulate China's achievements... the bonds between our two cities are going to grow, London and Beijing, over the next few years,"

    Brown arrived here Friday morning for a three-day official visit to China, his first China tour since assuming office last June. He will also Shanghai after Beijing.

    Brown had held meetings and talks with Chinese leaders on Friday. The two sides reached broad consensus, including on the Olympic Games.

China, Britain highlight rapport, friendship amid deals

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) gestures as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown listens during the informal discussions with students and citizen representatives at the Renmin University of China in Beijing, China, Jan. 18, 2008.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Ping-pong matches, an Olympic invitation and exchange of well-known proverbs together with trade and climate change deals featured British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's first-day visit to China.  Full story

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Beijing, China, Jan. 18, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- China and Britain have witnessed substantial development of bilateral relations, said Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, here on Friday.Full Story

China's Wen, British PM hold talks on "comprehensive strategic partnership"

    BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held talks with visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown here Friday morning, reaching a host of agreements on bilateral cooperation on economic, finance, education, Olympics and other matters. Full Story

Premier Wen makes five-point proposal to boost China-UK scientific innovation co-op

    BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a five-point proposal here Friday to boost China-UK scientific innovation, especially in the fields of technological transfer, joint innovation program, energy and environmental protection, financial service and intellectual property rights (IPR).

    Wen made the proposal when he addressed a China-UK business summit. He expressed his hope that the cooperation between the two countries in the fields could help push forward bilateral collaboration in technological innovation and two-way trade to a higher level.

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