Liu Jingmin, vice managing chairman of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee (BOBICO), said at a press conference May 20 that personages from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan will be invited to join the BOBICO Delegation to Moscow.

Liu said that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would vote for the selection of host city for the 2008 Olympic Games in Moscow on July 13 this year. As one of the candidate cities, composition of the Beijing Delegation to Moscow has been basically decided, its members include delegates from China's Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The five candidate cities will give a total 45-minute-long account to all IOC members. According to the orders arranged on September 13, last year, Beijing will be the fourth city to make the account.

Liu also talked about the possibility for Beijing and China's Taipei to co-sponsor the 2008 Olympic Games.

He said: We've taken notice that relevant department of Taiwan had indicated its willingness to discuss with Beijing, after its success in its Olympic bid, the possibility for certain Olympic Games events to be held in Taiwan. But the prerequisite for this is that the matter shall be decided first in accordance with the IOC Charter. According to this Charter, the Games can only be held in one city of the host country. If some events have to be undertaken by other cities of the country, the matter shall have the IOC approval. Therefore, on the premise of one country, the proposal put forward by Taiwan can be discussed only after we succeed in our bid for hosting the Games.

(People's Daily 05/21/2001)