Athletes should promote international friendship: China

China hoped that all athletes would promote international friendship during their participation in the Beijing Olympics.

China on Tuesday hoped that all athletes, including those from the US, whom President George W Bush described as “ambassadors of liberty”, would promote international friendship during their participation in the Beijing Olympics.

“We have taken note of the relevant report,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters here reacting to Bush’s pep-talk to American athletes in the White House telling them that they will be “ambassadors of liberty” in the Communist nation.

Bush, who would attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics rejecting calls for its boycott over Tibet and human rights issues, also told the athletes that he viewed the Games “as an athletic competition and not as a venue for a political message to China”.

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After China’s crackdown on Buddhist protesters following unrest in Tibet in March, Bush had led the Western leaders in putting pressure on the Chinese leadership to stop it and opt for a dialogue with the Dalai Lama on finding a solution to the issue.

“We hope and believe that athletes, including American sportspersons, during their attendance in the Beijing Olympics will make efforts to promote friendship across the world,” Liu said.