Businesses and economic development leaders traveling with the state of Utah in China received a briefing today from members of the organizing committee of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG). A delegation of more than 15 Utah companies is in Beijing this week as part of a Utah! Trade Mission designed to capitalize on the increased awareness of the state created by the success of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

"The Winter Games are much smaller than the Summer Games, but Utah has the expertise and Olympic suppliers to offer Olympic organizers in Beijing," said Jeff Gochnour, director of the Utah Division of Business and Economic Development. "We hope to create an ongoing dialogue to exchange ideas with BOCOG."

"We are considered a government institute and this is quite different," said Bocheng Ding, division chief of BOCOG’s Project Management Department, who hopes the Games will encourage development in Beijing City and China. "We can get stronger support from the government."

Beijing will have 35 venues that will mostly be completed by the end of 2006, giving BOCOG two years to test its venues. Thirty venues will be in Beijing and five will be located outside of the city. An estimated 10,500 athletes will participate in the Games.

The budget for Beijing 2008 will come from several sources, including the International Olympic Committee, a marketing program, and city government.

BOCOG is planning to hold an Olympic Cultural Festival every year leading up to the Summer Games. "Every culture from around the world is welcome," explained Wang Peng, project manager of Protocol and International Relations for the committee.

Meantime, the Utah companies held individual meetings with Beijing and Central Government leaders. Gochnour, who is leading the Utah delegation, met with Li Yong Jun, director of the Department of Foreign Economic Cooperation of Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM). Li said China is interested in overseas investment opportunities for small and medium sized mergers in high tech and manufacturing programs. He pledged to make information on Utah’s positive business climate available to his country’s provinces. Gochnour said the state would welcome any delegation from China to visit Utah.

For more information on Utah! Trade Missions, visit http://trademissions.utah.gov or contact the Utah International Business Development Office at (801) 538-8737 or trademissions@utah.gov.

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