Chinese champs join anniversary party for Games

Medal winners Zou Kai (left) and Yi Siling (right) join TV host Chen Luyu and UK Ambassador Sebastian Wood to celebrate London's Olympic anniversary. Provided to China Daily

The British Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood, hosted a reception to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the 2012 London Olympics on Monday. The event promoted the legacy of sustainable design and construction from the London Games, presented at Beijing's Parkview Green, which uses cutting-edge engineering technology provided by the UK company Arup.

More than 100 guests from Beijing's business, government and advisory communities joined VIPs from the athletic world. That group included two of China's gold-medal winners in London, gymnast Zou Kai and shooter Yi Siling.

Irish Ambassador Declan Kelleher and his wife, Sigrun, hosted a reception on Tuesday night for Ireland's visiting minister for foreign affairs and trade, Eamon Gilmore. The event was also a chance for fellow diplomats and spouses to say goodbye to the Kellehers, who will be leaving for a new posting in Brussels at summer's end.

Ambassador Jafaar Alj Hakim of Morocco and his wife, Nouria El Alami, hosted a reception at the embassy on Tuesday evening, to celebrate the 14th anniversary of the accession to the throne of King Mohammed VI.

David Dreier, former member of the US congress and now chairman of the Annenberg-Dreier Commission at Sunnylands in California, briefed senior staff at the US embassy in Beijing this week on the new commission's work and goals. Dreier announced that former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger had just joined the commission's advisory board, which also includes former US ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman.

One of commission's most important priorities, Dreier said, is advancing strong, productive, and respectful ties between the United States and China.