While Chinese athletics were striving for gold at the Athens Olympics, Chinese companies and international firms are competing for the business chances offered by the Games.

In March, China's computer giant Lenovo became a global partner of the International Olympic Committee and will contribute about 70 million US dollars in equipment and cash to the IOC over the next four years, China Radio International reported Monday.

It's the first Chinese enterprise to obtain such an honour.

Domestic enterprises were looking for less expensive sponsorship options to make the most of Games-related opportunities to promote their brands.

Zhejiang-based drinking water producer, Nongfu Spring, sponsored the Chinese Olympic teams drinking water at the Athens Games.

Inner Mongolia-based Mengniu Milk,posted a slogan "China will win" on all of its advertising boards, while Fujian-based Yake Foods, poured money to hire China's badminton team and coach to star in an commercial.

Of course, international firms are not sitting idly by; two months before the Athens Olympics started, Coca-Cola launched a programme to select Olympic torch bearers in China.

And South Korean-based LG Electronics, after successfully sponsoring the Asian Cup in Beijing, became a sponsor of China's national table tennis team during the Athens Games.

(CRIENGLISH.com)