Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown (C), his wife Sarah (L) and double Olympic gold medalist Kelly Holmes, address the media outside the National Stadium also known as the "Bird's Nest" in Beijing January 19, 2008. [Agencies] |
BEIJING - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited Beijing's Olympic stadium and a low-carbon power station in the capital on Saturday before heading to Shanghai to view plans for an eco-town as he winds up his two-day tour of China.
All three projects have been assisted by British design or construction, reinforcing Brown's message for his whirlwind trip of closer economic and business ties between Britain and China.
Brown got his first look at the 91,000-seat National Olympic Stadium, the basket-like sculpture - nicknamed the "Bird's Nest" - that will be the centerpiece of the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Brown became the first foreigner allowed inside the stadium, according to a British official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
"This is going to be the greatest Olympic Games ever," Brown told reporters after his stadium tour. "I'm flattered that British design has been involved ... for the athletes it's going to be great, for the public it's going to be wonderful."
Arup, one of the Britain's major structural engineering firms, is providing construction services for the stadium and for the new Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital Airport. Terminal 3 was designed by the British architecture firm Foster & Partners and is due to handle the large inflow of visitors to Beijing for the Olympics, which begin August 8.
The British leader on Friday won an on-the-spot invitation to the Games from Chinese premier Wen Jiabao when being questioned by students at the People's University about his interest in the Beijing event, given London follows as host in 2012.
"I will most certainly come to the Olympic Games if I'm invited and the reason I want to come is to learn from what I know will be the great success of China so we can follow you in London in 2012," Brown said.
Wen swiftly extended an invitation for the event before Brown announced a new training program, via exchange visits, for British athletes and their Chinese counterparts.
Meanwhile, British Olympic middle distance running champion Kelly Holmes - who is traveling with Brown - on Saturday dismissed concerns over Beijing's environment.
"I'm sure china will do their utmost to make it as comfortable as they possibly can for the athletes," Holmes told reporters.
On his way to the airport Saturday, Brown stopped off at the Taiyanggong Power Station, which was partly financed through British carbon credits.
Britain sees the plant as an example of the kind of clean energy innovation it wants to support through an Environmental Transformation Fund, which will provide at least US$100 million (euro68 million) to China to support investment in energy efficiency, renewables, clean coal and carbon capture and storage.
Brown will also view plans for the Dongtan Ecocity, being built on the island of Chongming near Shanghai.
