Beijing to host huge Olympic expo

LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is stepping up efforts with its Chinese counterparts to bring an unprecedented Olympic exposition to Beijing.

The Olympic Museum Lausanne will ship its most significant and valuable exhibits to Beijing next month, some of which have never been displayed elsewhere and are expected to attract thousands of spectators a day when it kicks off on Aug 8, the Beijing Olympics opening day.

"As a real friend of China, I believe the Olympex, the Olympic Expo 2008 Beijing, will be a great success and an important legacy of the Olympic Games," Juan Antonio Samaranch, the IOC's honorary president for life, said on Saturday at the IOC headquarters.