A language guidance booklet was publicized in Beijing Tuesday for foreigners to get acquainted with basic Chinese language and culture during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Chinese Vice Minister of Education Zhang Xinsheng said at a press conference that the book, titled "Basic Chinese 100 for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games", will bring China to the world through popularizing the Chinese language.

The book, jointly edited by the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language and the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), was published by the People's Education Press earlier this month. It will be presented to organizations related to the Olympic Games for personnel training or used as a tool for foreigners to learn Chinese language in general sense.

Learners can find both English and French note for each Chinese language point, which is arranged in different situation such as greeting and farewell occasions.

Zhang said that during the Beijing Olympics, peoples all over the world will become more interested in the Chinese language, and China will edit more books as teaching materials to satisfy the needs of learners.

Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of the BOCOG, told the press that China, as the host of the 2008 Olympic Games, will provide effective language service for athletes and visitors from all overthe world.

The activity of learning English has been carried out among Beijing citizens, which

is conducive for providing convenience for foreigners in terms of language, Jiang said, noting that meanwhile,Beijing will grasp the opportunity of the Olympic Games to spread the Chinese language, so as to make the world become more familiar with China.

"Basic Chinese 100 for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games" will play important role in popularizing and spreading Chinese language and culture in the Beijing Olympics, Jiang said.

Source: Xinhua