China's Olympic Bids

Since the 1990s Beijing, capital of China, has made two bids to host the Olympic Games, one for 2000, and the other for 2008. After losing its first bid to Sydney in Monte Carlo in 1993, Beijing eventually won its second bid in Moscow in 2001.

Bid for 2000
During the Opening Ceremony of the 11th Asian Games held in Beijing on September 22, 1990, Chinese President Yang Shangkun met IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch and told him that China would apply for hosting the Olympic Games. On February 22, 1991, Beijing submitted its formal application to the International Olympic Committee for hosting the 27th Olympic Games in 2000. In January 1993, the Beijing Olympic Bid Committee sent special messengers to the IOC to present Beijing's Bid Report. On the early morning of September 24, 1993, by secret ballot, the IOC 101st Session attended by 89 IOC members in Monte Carlo chose Australia's Sydney as the host of the 2000 Olympic Games. It was only by two votes that Beijing lost the bid to Sydney.

Bid for 2008
On January 17, 2001, representatives of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee headed by BOBICO Secretary-General Wang Wei flew to Lausanne, Switzerland to submit Beijing's Candidature File. On July 13, 2001, Beijing, again with confidence and pride, became the focus of world attention in Moscow, where the IOC 112th Session was held. At 10:00 p.m. after the voting by the IOC members, IOC President Samaranch opened the envelope in his hands and announced that the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games was Beijing. Thus, Beijing eventually won its bid to host the Olympic Games.