Taipei backs China's Olympic bid, but has to consider co-hosting<\/p>\n
TAIPEI (Agencies): Chinese Taipei gave its support Saturday to
\nChina's bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, but said it is
\ntoo early to discuss Beijing's invitation to Taipei to co-host
\nthe global sporting events.<\/p>\n
\"We'd like to see Beijing win the bid to host the 2008 Olympic
\nGames. As to Beijing's inviting us to co-host the Games, it's too
\nearly to discuss it,\" said Chen Ming-tong, vice chairman of the
\ncabinet's Mainland Affairs Council.<\/p>\n
Chen was responding to Friday's China Daily report which said
\nthe Beijing 2008 Olympic Bid Committee was thinking seriously
\nabout inviting Taipei to co-host the 2008 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
\"The possibility of Beijing and Taipei co-hosting the Games
\nexists, and relevant departments are studying the situation,\" the
\nBeijing-based paper quoted a Bid Committee official as saying.<\/p>\n
\"If the 2008 Olympic Games are to be held in Beijing, some of
\nthe mass events like soccer, baseball and basketball may be held
\nin Chinese cities including Shanghai and Guangzhou, but why not
\nTaipei?\" the official told the daily.<\/p>\n
The Taipei press said Beijing's hint that it will invite
\nTaiwan to co-host the 2008 Olympic Games is aimed at boosting
\nBeijing's chances of winning the bid.<\/p>\n
Beijing, Paris, Toronto, Osaka and Istanbul are vying for the
\nchance to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will choose the
\nwinner in July 2001 in Moscow.<\/p>\n
Taipei and China split in 1949 after the Chinese Nationalist
\ngovernment lost the civil war and fled to Taipei.<\/p>\n
In Beijing, China will turn the capital city's historic
\nTiananmen Square into a beach volleyball arena if it wins the
\n2008 Olympic Games, the mayor of the Chinese capital said
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
Mayor Liu Qi also told the official Xinhua news agency the
\nvast square would also see the triathlon pass through if China
\nwas granted permission to stage the games.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday the China Daily said officials were forced to act
\nafter rival Paris said it would locate the glamour sport -- with
\nscantily-clad performers, thudding rock music and raucous
\natmosphere -- next to the Eiffel Tower.<\/p>",
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