Qinghai Province donates Kunlun jade to BOCOG

(BEIJING, January 2) -- A signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BOCOG and the government of Qinghai Province, regarding Qinghai's donation of Kunlun jade to BOCOG, took place in Beijing on Tuesday.

Liu Qi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and president of BOCOG, and Qiang Wei, secretary of the CPC Qinghai Provincial Committee, represented their respective sides at the ceremony.

Shortly after the design of the medals for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad was unveiled, BOCOG had received a request from the government of Qinghai Province to provide the jade to be used for the medals. Following extensive research and examination commissioned by BOCOG through experts and organizations specializing in jade, Kunlun jade from Qinghai Province was deemed to meet the requirements for use in the Olympic medals. BOCOG then accepted the proposal for the jade donation from Qinghai Province.

In a speech at the ceremony, Guo Jinlong, acting mayor of Beijing, said that this year is the Olympic Year for both China and the world. Qinghai's Kunlun jade is the perfect complement to the Olympic medals, he said. The gold and jade inlaid Olympic medals will spread China's rich jade culture to the world while relaying the concept of a "People's Olympics."

Governor Song Xiuyan of Qinghai Province expressed that to be able to contribute to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is the hope and wish of the people of Qinghai. The jade produced by Kunlun Mountain is a precious-grade jade that is recognized everywhere by jewelry experts. The use of Kunlun jade in the Beijing Olympic medals will spread Chinese jade culture to the world and raise the image of Qinghai Province. Moreover, the use of Kunlun jade will positively promote Chinese culture to the international community and athletes of the world, she said.

Jidi Majia, deputy governor of Qinghai Province, and Liu Jingmin, vice mayor of Beijing and executive vice-president of BOCOG, signed the MOU. Also present at the ceremony were Beijing and BOCOG officials Li Shixiang, Wang Wei and Jiang Xiaoyu.