Organizers of the 16th Asian Games are hailing the biggest sponsorship in the event's history, 500 days out from the opening ceremony, an official with the organizing committee said yesterday.

"We have made remarkable achievements ... in terms of marketing development since the organizing committee was authorized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to be independently responsible," Liu Jiangnan, deputy general secretary of the Games' organizing committee, said. "I can tell you the total fund so far is five times the amount collected by the organizing committee of the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar," he added, refusing to reveal the total sponsorship funds.

In the past, the OCA has managed Asian Games marketing, Liu said.

"The achievement represents the host city's utmost effort to avoid the impacts of the global financial crisis," Liu said.

So far, 30 companies have signed sponsorship deals with the Games organizing committee - the largest number in Asian Games' history, according to Liu.

Although a few potential sponsors broke off talks earlier this year amid global economic meltdown, subsequent agreements were reached.

"A growing number of domestic companies are aware of the Asian Games' brand, which they believe can help them promote business overseas," Liu said.

The organizing committee will sign about 10 more sponsorship deals before the opening of the Games, Liu said. It has authorized 23 companies to produce official products and 31 more to sell authorized Games products, such as souvenirs.

About 2,000 different items will be produced ahead of the Games.

In another development, the organizing committee issued a slew of official commemorative stamps of the Games yesterday .

"We will soon sign an agreement with a local ticket company to sell the official tickets of the Games from next May," Liu said.

(China Daily June 30, 2009)