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City shows its sporting side in Games bid

John Kohut

BEIJING has planned several events around International Olympic Day today, a chance for the city to demonstrate the extent to which the population is involved in sport.

Local interest is one of the many criteria which will help decide which city wins the bid for the 2000 Games.

In Tiananmen Square a ceremony was to be held this morning for the establishment of a volunteer service corps of middle school students who will run errands for the upcoming Seventh National Games to be held in Beijing.

At the Xiannongtan Stadium, near the Temple of Heaven, a number of Chinese athletes will appear tomorrow for an entertainment programme for the Seventh National Games.

An exhibition of Chinese lanterns was supposed to have taken place in Ritan Park in the diplomatic quarters of the city. The event was called off at the last minute.

Officials at the Beijing Olympic Bid Organising Committee did not know why the lantern exhibition had been cancelled.

An all-star show will be held next month in Beijing to promote the Olympic bid.

The semi-official China News Service yesterday reported that the star-studded show will feature more than 100 top singers.

It will be held at the Capital Stadium on July 24 and 25.

Officials from state-run television said the singers would join together to show the solidarity of Chinese people and their desire to host the 2000 Games.

Popular theme songs of the Olympics and new ones written by leading composers would be performed, the organisers said.

The concert has received sponsorship from several major private enterprises.

It will be televised on the mainland before September 23, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) votes in Monte Carlo on the host city.

Members of the IOC will each receive a laser disc or cassette tape copy of the recorded version of show.

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