JINGZHOU, Central China, June 2 (Xinhua) -- In the
Olympic torch relay Jingzhou leg, central China's Hubei province on Monday,18
foreigners from different countries such as the United States, Japan, and Greece
were attractive in the team of torchbearers.
"The Olympic sacred flame relay is a window, through
which more foreigners can know better about China in aspects like the Chinese
zeal for the Olympics, passion for their country and compatriots, and the
Chinese profound culture," said No. 93 torch carrier Guo Yiguang, an American
Chinese.
She told Xinhua that as an American Chinese, she has
deeply perceived the differences of two cultural systems in China and the
western countries." People need to understand each other. The torch relay
provides more foreigners a chance to come to China and make friends with
Chinese."
No.188 torchbearer, James Zimmerman, chairman of
American Chamber of Commerce in China said he was very proud of representing his
fellow members to deliver the Olympic torch in Jingzhou.
"We have been making efforts to build bridges of
friendship between China and the United States, promoting the mutual
understanding and communication. The torch provides a good opportunity for the
two sides to know each other."
An American student studying Chinese in China said
all this was out of respect and love from the whole nation for the victims in
the terrible earthquake.
"I wish to take the love, confidence and courage from
the torch relay to those quake-inflicted people in Sichuan, including my
colleagues working there, hoping they can overcome difficulties and move on in
the near future," said Guan Dehui.
The torch relay also makes some foreigners touch the
profound culture of China, this ancient country with 5,000 history.
The American torch carrier, Jonathan Kos-Read, loves
reading a Chinese famous novel, "Romance of Three Kingdoms". He even gave
himself a Chinese name "Cao Cao", a brilliant strategist's name in Three
Kingdoms Period of China more than 1700 years ago.
He was so excited to deliver the torch in Jingzhou,
for most of episodes of the novel happened in Jingzhou. "I'm so excited to step
on this land. The torch relay makes my 'Three Kingdoms' dream come true!"
Greek ambassador to China Michael Cambanis, No. 3
torchbearer in Jingzhou leg, also relayed the flames from his homeland Greece on
the Nine Dragon Bridge in the ancient city.
"I'm so glad to see the sacred torch is relayed from
Greece, the cradle of ancient western civilization, to China, the outstanding
representative of ancient eastern civilization," he said.
Guan Dehui, the president of United Technologies
Corporations in China was the No. 186 torchbearer. "Olympic torch relay delivers
the ideas of unity, progress, equality, and friendship. I am so excited to have
this good chance to be one of the members in the Beijing Olympic Games."
The torch relay makes numerous foreigners feel the
enthusiasm in Olympics from ordinary people.
During the three-day relay in Hubei Province, people
in cities of Wuhan, Yichang, and Jingzhou all cheered up with the coming sacred
flame. The cities became the red sea of national flags.
Viewing thousands of Chinese waving red flags and
signs such as "One World, One Dream, One China" in torch relay, Italian sports
correspondent Francesco, also No. 95 torchbearer, said, "The torch relay is to
pass on the Olympic spirit. The Games actually is a grand party and sports
meeting."
"The Chinese are so enthusiastic to the sacred flame
and well cultivate this atmosphere."
The torch relay also let foreigners see the nation's
unity, love and deep emotion for the compatriots in the earthquake-hit areas of
southwestern China's Sichuan Province.
At the launching ceremonies of every torch relay
legs, all the torchbearers and spectators mourned for the victims. Donation
activities were launched during the relay. Many torchbearers and spectators came
up to the charity box, doing their shares for the reconstruction in the Sichuan
quake region.
