The excitement on the streets is palpable as hopes rise that the city may be elected to host the 2010 Asian Games. The odds are looking better because Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea, and once the lead contender, has decided to quit the competition.

Guangzhou's delegation is headed by Xu Deli, vice-governor of Guangdong Province. They flew off last week to hand in Guangzhou's official application to the Asian Olympic Committee, based in Kuwait.

As they set off, thousands of city residents were leading various mass campaigns in the downtown streets to back the bid.

The Asian Olympic Committee will send its inspection team to Guangzhou in May, before making a decision in July.

Now only two cities, Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, and Amman, capital of Jordan, are left in the running for the 2010 hosting rights.

Citing the fact that ROK was host of the 2002 Asian Games, Korean officials said it was "unnecessary" for their country to campaign for the 2010 event.

For Guangzhou, a chance that used to look remote has suddenly become very real. The Asian Games has become a buzz phrase that you hear in the market streets and see in the local press on a daily basis.

Although the two competitors are national capitals, whereas Guangzhou is only a business hub of southern China, it actually has some strong "selling points", according to Liu Jiangnan, director of the municipal sports authorities.

The first is the city's rich financial resources, he noted. The city's per capita GDP level is already above US$5,000. Guangzhou has both the capability and expertise for building very large public facilities on a rather tight deadline.

He said the municipal government is considering building 12 new public sports facilities and undertaking a large-scale renovation campaign of the existing ones.

In addition, US$200 million has been budgeted for building an Asian Games Village, which may cover 120 hectares.

The other factor, Liu argued, is Guangzhou's 2,200 years of history as one of China's oldest trade cities, connected to the rest of Asia.

Zhao Weiping, president of the local Panda Fireworks International Co, told China Daily that he plans to donate 3 million yuan (US$362,000) for the opening ceremony if the city finally succeeds in its hosting bid.

The privately-owned company, a big fireworks exporter, is competing for the deal to manage the Asian Game's fireworks celebration, said Zhao, also a member of the municipal committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

There will be brilliant business opportunities for companies in Guangzhou if the city clinches the hosting deal, he said in a recent CPPCC meeting in the city.

In the main streets, long lines are forming these days of residents, ranging from individuals older than 80 years old to youngsters, in a signature collection campaign to back up the municipal government's Asian Games bid. They have been joined by 14 Chinese Olympic champions with their hometowns in the vicinities of the city.

The signature collection campaign was sponsored by the local consumer newspaper Nanfang Metropolitan News. More than 100,000 signatures have been collected so far.

Other mass campaigns, from hikings to tours, are being launched to raise residents' awareness of Guangzhou's brightened hopes of achieving new heights of regional fame.

In the meantime, the local government is reportedly approaching the English faculties in Zhongshan University and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, to seek their assistance in would-be language training programmes for event managers, service staff, taxi drivers and volunteers.

Some people from Hong Kong and Macao said Guangzhou should work with the two neighbouring cities to better utilize their sports facilities and service expertise. Some speakers at the Guangzhou CPPCC meeting even suggested that some Asian Games events could actually be held in Hong Kong and Macao.

(China Daily April 6, 2004)