International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge has tipped China to top the medals table at the 2008 Olympic Games.

"The results that you achieved at the Athens Olympics last year have shown Chinese sports is really getting to the top," Rogge told reporters after his arrival in Nanjing at Wednesday noon.

"I would not be surprised if China leads the medals count in 2008 Olympics in Beijing," he added.

bn Last year in the Athens Olympics, China finished third place behind the United States and Russia in the overall medals table with 32 golds, 17 silvers and 14 bronzes.

Rogge is on a six-day tour of five Chinese cities, starting with Beijing on Tuesday. After attending the opening ceremony of the 10th Chinese National Games Wednesday night in Nanjing, he will head for Xi'an, another Chinese city with splendid history.

The IOC chief will also visit Qingdao, the sailing venue for the 2008 Olympics, before ending his Chinese tour Sunday in Shanghai, where he will watch the season-ending Formula One Chinese Grand Prix.

The 10th National Games is the largest ever sports meet in the Chinese history, and is viewed as a dress rehearsal of the 2008 Olympics. 

Rogge Congratulates on Olympic Special Edition
 
Jacques Rogge has also sent a message of congratulation to the China Sports Daily on its Olympic special edition.

"In August 2008, China will make history when the Olympic Gamesis held for the first time in the city of Beijing, inviting its citizens and the world's citizens to come together for 'One World One Dream'," said Rogge in the message received here on Wednesday.

"To mark this occasion, the national sports newspaper, China Sports Daily will, over the next three years, publish a Beijing Olympic Games Special Edition, highlighting the enthusiastic commitment of all Chinese people for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad and their strong attachment to the Olympic values and ideals.

"Thanks to this initiative of China Sports Daily, people from all over China will continue to learn about, discover and promote the values of the Olympic Movement, value of peace, universality and joy of sport. They will also share a vision for a promise and the potential of a new Beijing and great Olympic Games," added the IOC chief.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2005)