On the Scene -- U.S. Fans Arrive, Canada Leader Absent

Kissinger in Beijing

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger toured the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall on Thursday.

Kissinger, 85, met secretly in 1971 with Chinese Premier Chou Enlai, which opened the door to the historic 1972 summit between U.S. President Richard Nixon and Mao Zedong. The catalyst for the high-level meetings was actually so-called “ping pong diplomacy” in which Canadian and U.S. table tennis President George Bush in Beijing after a meeting with U.S. athletes. He's one of about 90 heads of state attending the opening ceremony. (Getty Images)teams were invited to visit China.

Kissinger is the last surviving IOC Honour member, a status granted for his work on IOC reforms following the Salt Lake City scandal.

U.S. Press Corps Delayed at Airport

Journalists following U.S. President George Bush to Beijing were detained for three hours Friday on a chartered Northwest Airlines 747, according to an Associated Press report.

The plane landed at 2:10 a.m., but passengers weren’t allowed to disembark until after 5 a.m. The reporters, photographers and camera operators filed through Chinese customs and immigration. Normally, the U.S. press corps is waved through while government officials process their details.

Canadian Foreign Minister Downplays Absence of Boss

Canada will be represented at the Beijing Games opening ceremony by foreign minister David Emerson. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced in April that he would not attend. Emerson reminded reporters Thursday night that previous Prime Minister Paul Martin didn’t attend Athens 2004 and neither did Harper go to Torino 2006.

“This was not an unusual decision at the time it was taken,” Emerson said. “I don’t think it’s a symbol of anything.”

Emerson said Canada is improving its relations with China, despite differing opinions on human rights.

“We’re no shrinking violet on that issue, but we don’t choose to use the Olympics as the venue to make the point,” he said.

Samsung Pavilion Opens

Samsung joined the The OR@S pavilion by night. (ATR)parade of sponsors opening pavilions on the Olympic Green this week. The Olympic Rendezvous @ Samsung -- the company’s facility for athletes and spectators – is billed as a “high-tech and eco-friendly” pavilion. In addition to showcasing Samsung technology, the 1200 square meter building features a private area for athletes and their families, a spectator center for the public and an outdoor area for daily entertainment.

Guests included Gerhard Heiberg, IOC marketing director; Liu Xuan, China’s first artistic gymnastics gold medalist; Yuan Bin, Beijing 2008 marketing director, Peter Ueberroth, USOC chair and Yoon-Woo Lee, Samsung CEO.

McDonald’s Crews Race to Build Burgers [photo only]

It’s a race to build the best Big Mac: teams from around the world compete at the McDonald’s on the Olympic Green Thursday to make the restaurant sponsor’s signature product.

Elsewhere in Beijing:

Lines form throughout the day at the Main Press Centre postal counter to purchase Olympic stamps postmarked August 8. (ATR)

U.S. basketball stars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant join teammates to meet the press at a news conference Friday. Hundreds of reporters filled the press conference room at the Main Press Center, the biggest turnout yet for these Games. (ATR)

Written by ATR Staff in Beijing.

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