We've all read that Beijing is bringing its A-game for the upcoming Olympic games. As a major milestone and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show face as a key international player, the country is busying itself with strategic preparations to deliver an effective and meaningful sale this summer.The number 8, when pronounced in Mandarin (ba), rhymes with the pronunciation of the word for fortune (fa), which makes it particularly auspicious and dear to the Chinese. It is no coincidence that the date of the opening ceremony is set for 08-08-08, or good fortune x 3 when loosely translated into English.
It is this very east-meets-west sensibility that is coming into play as Beijing finds ways to present its life/country/culture so that when interpreted by Western eyes and ears, is met with a warm – and even pleasantly surprised – response. Ironically, China is looking abroad for ideas and techniques to ensure their tourists are met with comfort and luxury. On the agenda:
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* Coca-Cola, Hewlett-Packard, Mattel, Motorola, Foxconn, Nike, Novozymes, Bayer, Genencor, APCO, Shell are examples of global brands participating in this event