18 January 2008
Gordon Brown today received a personal invitation to the 2008 Beijing Olympics from Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
The invitation to the games, which take place in August, came as Mr Brown and his wife Sarah visited the People’s University on the outskirts of Beijing on the first day of his official visit to China.
Mr Brown and Mr Wen joined a question and answer session with students and watched exhibition matches between young British table tennis hopefuls and their Chinese counterparts.
During the session, Mr Brown was asked if he would attend the Beijing games - which London will host in 2012.
The PM said:
"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.
"I believe for young people in particular the contact that will happen will build cultural bridges that will stand us in good stead for the years to come."
After watching the exhibition table tennis matches, the Prime Minister announced a new scheme of partnership between young Chinese athletes and their British colleagues who would work and train together on a "buddy” system.
Mr Brown was accompanied on his visit by double gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, who is spearheading the "Tomorrow’s Champions" project involving exchange visits between young Chinese and British athletes.
Image copyright Reuters
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