Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and British ambassador to China William Ehrman tested their skills with Chinese ping-pong queen Deng Yaping at the ministry yesterday.
Though Deng bested them both, the 120 participants applauded them. The event marked the ministry's second open day of "Chinese Diplomacy, Beijing Olympics." Yang and Ehrman played the game to appeal for greater sportsmanship and less politics.
Greek ambassador Michael Cambanis was supposed to play as well but couldn't because he wasn't feeling well. Ambassadors of past and future Olympic host nations had been especially invited to the event. "We should avoid mixing politics with sports," Cambanis said. For example, when we held the Athens Games we faced a similar pollution problem (like Beijing)."
Even compared to the skepticism regarding Athens' organization capabilities, the pressure on Beijing is immense, Cambanis said. "But I still think the 2008 Olympics will be the best."
Ehrman corroborated Cambanis’s words, saying London will learn from Beijing's experience as Great Britain’s capital prepares for the Games in 2012.
While diplomats want to exclude politics from sport, some reminded China to focus on the Games as a whole instead of just counting the medals. Former world speed-skating champion Ye Qiaobo said: "Winning medals should not be the only goal of Chinese athletes at the Games. To host the Olympics in itself is very honorable."
Questions:
1.How many participants attended the ping pong matches?
2.Yang and Ehrman played the game as a way to appeal for sports without what?
3.Cambanis mentioned two problems with the Athens Games. What are they?
Answers:
1.120.
2.Politics.
3.Organization and pollution.
（英语点津 Celene 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Jonathan Stewart is a media and journalism expert from the United States with four years of experience as a writer and instructor. He accepted a foreign expert position with chinadaily.com.cn in June 2007 following the completion of his Master of Arts degree in International Relations and Comparative Politics.
