April 26 saw women chess world champion Xie Jun on behalf of Xie Jun Chess Skill Center in Beijing donate RMB 100,000 yuan to Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee (BOBICO), expressing the support from the chess circle to Beijing's bid for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games. Li Dunhou, Deputy Secretary-general of BOBICO received the money in the name of BOBICO.

"To host the 2008 Olympic Games is the wishes of every Chinese. As a Beijing citizen, and a chess player, I am very pleased to contribute my share for Beijing's 2008 Olympic bid", she said.

She also revealed that the "Xie Jun Chess Skill Center" will start enrolling students in the near future, to make the chess-play more popular in China.

In addition, the Chinese Chess Association signed a cooperation contact with the Guangxia (Yinchuan) Industry Co. Ltd. on jointly establishing the Chinese Chess National Training Team. According to this contract, Xie will serve as a mouthpiece for the company and Guangxia to provide Chinese chess players with fee enough for exchanging experience with foreign top players.

(People's Daily 04/28/2001)