In the afternoon of 8th August, the Chinese Embassy in London was decorated with lights and lanterns and flowers. Beautiful pictures about the Olympic Games were hung along the corridor. Five Fuwas lined up on the first floor. Diplomats greeted guests and friends in their finest suits. At 13:08pm (20:08 Beijing Time), a reception marking the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games was held here. Over 300 people from the British Government, parliament, sports, business community and media including LORD NEIL DAVIDSON, Solicitor General for Scotland, LORD MCNALLY, leader of Lib-Dem Peers, SEBASTIAN WOOD, Director of Asia Pacific, FCO, MARK WOOD, CEO of ITV attended the reception. Representatives from the local Chinese communities, Chinese enterprises and students also attended the reception.

Ambassador Fu Ying expressed her thanks for people who came to share the moment of joy with the Chinese people, indicating that it was a day that the Chinese people longed for. It was a day that the hundred-year Olympic dream came true. 

Fu Ying continued: China was poor and weak and in the plight of a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society when Britain hosted the Olympic Games 100 years ago. However the Chinese youths still noticed the world sports event that took place in London 5000 miles away. A young man wrote in Tianjin Youth and put forward the question: When would China host the Olympic Games? A hundred years later, the dream was about to be fulfilled.

For China the Olympic is a joyful and proud moment, a moment both for sports gathering and to celebrate China's march towards prosperity and strength.

For athletes, it is already exciting for them simply to participate in the Olympic Games on home ground. The success of the Games does not lie in how many medals we gain, but also in whether we can be a good host. The Chinese people, who account for one fourth of the world population, have spared no efforts and they have confidence that they will be a good host. After the Games, the world attention will be on London. We believe that the Olympics in 2012 will be equally successful.

A number of TCL TVs broadcast the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games. Guests all spoke highly of it, its magnificence, new design and good organization. Many people were so excited that they cried. They said that the reception had provided a good opportunity for people in both China and Britain to share the atmosphere and joy of the Olympics and they sincerely wished the Games a complete success.

TESSA SANDERSON, Britain's former Olympic champion for javelin said that it was the best and most innovative Olympic opening ceremony she had ever seen. The fact that many young people participated had given it vitality and made the Games an event for young people.

JUDITH WOODWARD, former Vice Mayor of Greater London, said that the Beijing Olympics was exciting and gave people chances to understand and appreciate China's cultural heritage and contribution to mankind.

WENDY MORREL, a disabled torch bearer in the London leg of the torch relay brought her specially-trained assistance dog Cesar to the Embassy. Cesar apparently attracted by the opening, was so cute that people flocked to have pictures with it.

Mme. Barton, deputy head teacher of the St. George's School, brought 16 students and teachers to the reception after traveling by train for over 1 hour. She said that the opening was so Chinese that it aroused interest of the Chinese culture by the British people especially young students. More people would learn Chinese after the Games and the school would further promote its Chinese language teaching.

Zhao Xuemei, a Chinese living in London made a poem to commemorate the opening of the Olympics. "A hundred years of dream, Bird nest with five rings, lucky clouds over the teams, with Olympic fire we will definitely win."

There was also lucky draw at the reception. The first prize was a return ticket to Beijing. The Embassy officials and students from the St. George's School chose the lucky numbers. Those who got the prize were extremely excited.

BBC, SkyNews, CCTV, Xinhua, Chinanews, Phoenix TV, Sing-tao Daily covered the reception.

Air China, China Eastern, TCL, London Chinatown Chinese Association, Bank of China (London), China Insurance (UK), China Pacific Insurance and Chinese Enterprises' Association gave their support to the reception.