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Chinese Premier meets Britain's Blair

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-08-20 19:11

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the sidelines of the Beijing Games.

Middle East envoy Tony Blair (L) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the Ziguangge Pavilion in the Zhongnanhai leaders' compound in Beijing August 20, 2008. Blair is in the city to attend the Beijing Olympic Games which will end on August 24. [Agencies]

Wen extended a welcome to Blair, who arrived here on Saturday to watch some of the events, and congratulated the British athletes for their excellent performances at the Games.

"We are the host of the ongoing Olympics, while you will host the next Games. Thus, we can step up exchanges and cooperation on the Olympics," Wen said.

Blair started by congratulating China on the opening ceremony on August 8.

"It was the most significant spectacle and a wonderful advertisement for China and the Chinese people.

"You have set a very high standard for the London 2012 Olympic Games. It'll be very hard to work up to this standard," said Blair, who served as British leader from 1997 to 2007.

"We all very exited about the closing ceremony," Blair said. "Then we will have four years of hard work to do."

While hailing Chinese athletes' excellent results at the Games, the 55-year-old joined thousands of spectators to watch various competitions.  On Tuesday, he and his family witnessed British cyclists setting a record for his nation at the Laoshan Velodrome.