The Beijing 2008 Olympics provides wonderful opportunities for global sportswear and sport gear businesses, said a senior Chinese sports official in Beijing on Monday.

Liu Peng, head of the State Administration of Sports, made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the sports round-table meeting of the Ninth Fortune Global Forum being held at the St Regis Hotel in Beijing. Another round-table for cultural issues is also convening at the hotel. Liu said that physical culture is flourishing in China and that Beijing's successful bid for hosting the 2008 Games is a direct boost to the development of the culture.

Liu said that the robust physical culture is especially significant for businesses, which are eager to sell their sports brands to millions of consumers in the world's most populous nation.

Topics of the one-day event include China and physical culture, why Chinese consumers love sports, development prospects of sports in China and relationship between sports and media.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2005)