April 9, 2004 - More than 50 journalists from nearly 30 foreign media resident offices in Beijing attended a press tour to construction sites of the National Stadium and National Swimming Center for the 2008 Olympic Games. They interviewed BOCOG Executive President Liu Jingmin, BOCOG Director of Venue Planning and Construction Ping Yongquan and top project officials. 

Active Participation of Leading Foreign Media 

Organized by the BOCOG, this activity drew participation from leading international media, including Associated Press (AP), Agence France-Presse (AFP), Kyodo News Service, European Press Photo Agency (EPA), CNN, NHK, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Voice of America (VOA) and Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF). The international journalists raised various questions about the progress, financing and foreign business participation in the construction of Olympic venues. 

"Sunshine Olympics" 

The scale and complexity of venue construction for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games are unprecedented in any previous Olympic Games. The process of Olympic venue construction in Beijing has drawn great attention from the international media since the very beginning. The BOCOG will continue to organize similar press tours so as to secure the practice of "Sunshine Olympics" under the supervision of international media. 

picture 1: Liu Jingmin (third from left) briefs journalists on Olympic venue construction
picture 2: Foreign journalists listen carefully to the introduction
picture 3: Liu Jingmin (first from left) answers questions of international journalists at the construction site of the National Swimming Center
picture 4: Everything is in order at the construction site of the National Swimming Center
picture 5: A journalist takes photos at the construction site of the National Stadium