President Li Lihui Meets with Chairman of IOC Marketing Commission Gerhard Heiberg

On Nov 3, 2004, IOC Executive Director and Chairman of IOC Marketing Commission Gerhard Heiberg and BOCOG officials visited Bank of China. Vice Chairman of Board and President Li Lihui met with the visiting guests.

President Li extended a warm welcome to Mr. Heiberg and expressed his wish that in the future IOC would provide more direction and help for Bank of China concerning its Olympic affairs.

President Li pointed out that as banking partner of 2008 Olympic Games, Bank of China wishes to uplift its corporate culture through active involvement in the Olympic Games and also obtain satisfactory economic benefits from its huge market value. To ensure a successful Olympic marketing and service, Bank of China sets up BOC Olympic work team and Olympic Affairs Department and is currently framing out a general work schedule for the next four years.

Recently Bank of China conducted focused experience exchange workshops with former Olympic banking partner such as Greece s Alpha Bank and Australia s Westpac Bank in terms of Olympic service and marketing and as a result greatly benefited from it. The bank s ongoing joint-stock reform and IT blueprint construction will lay a sound foundation for an all-round upgrade of the bank s product and service quality in the next few years.

Bank of China and BOCOG have established a close and firm partnership. Under the generous support and help from BOCOG as well as IOC, Bank of China is confident to provide high quality financial service to the 2008 Games.

Mr. Heiberg said his trip to Beijing is to pay regard to the 2008 Olympic partners as a gesture to express his sincere gratitude for their support of the Olympic movement. Bank of China is the first leg of his visit. The 2008 Olympic partners are all leading enterprises possessing best brands, strength and influence in their respective industries.

IOC feels grateful and proud for BOC s joining into the Beijing Olympic family. Mr. Heiberg was very glad that Bank of China could learn useful experience from former Olympic banking partners. Becoming Olympic partner is just a beginning and a long path remains ahead to be a truly successful partner.

IOC promised its full support to Bank of China. The successful staging of Athens and other Olympic Games have proved the win-win situation for both the partners and the Games. He is fully convinced that Bank of China will reap inestimable economic results from its involvement in the Beijing Olympic Games.

Yuan Bin, Vice-Director of BOCOG Marketing Department affirmed that BOC rendered strong support to BOCOG and its financial service team sent to the Athens Games provided high-quality on-site service to BOCOG as well as the Chinese Olympic Team, from which great compliments were given. Zhao Zhigang, President of BOC Beijing Branch made his commitment that as the frontal service window, Beijing Branch will strengthen staff training, optimize points of network and improve service quality.

The meeting went on under a friendly atmosphere. Both parties expressed their mutual wish to further strengthen communication and make joint efforts for staging a successful 2008 Games.