August 8 marks the one-year countdown to the 29th Olympic Games in Beijing. The Chinese nation has been preparing for this exciting moment for over six years. However, they waited for nearly a century before their dream of hosting the Olympics came true.

China will never forget the night of July 13, 2001. The entire nation burst into applause when the then President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Juan Antonio Samaranch, announced at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, that the 2008 Olympic Games would be held in Beijing.

The Chinese began to show interest in the Olympics in 1908. In an article published by a magazine in Tianjin, the author asked when China could send an athlete to the Olympic Games, when it could send a team to the games and when it could host the Olympics.

The long wait is nearing its end, as the Olympic Games are to take place for the first time in China, a country that is home to one fifth of the world's population. Now 1.3 billion Chinese have an opportunity to be directly involved in the Olympics in whatever way possible.

The Chinese nation has been committed to building a society where there is "harmony between man and nature". The slogan for the Beijing Olympics "One World One Dream" is a seamless combination of the Chinese philosophy of harmony and the Olympic spirit. While improving themselves, the Chinese today are embracing the world. It is with this vision that they make preparations for the Olympics. The highest goal pursued by Beijing and other hosting cities as they ready themselves for the Olympics is to offer its participants the best services, the most harmonious environment and the friendliest atmosphere.

Over the past years, the Olympics has been high on the agenda of both the government and the general public. A lot has changed as the grand event draws near, from the government's urban planning and policy orientation to people's lifestyles and language use. While transforming the country, the Olympics is promoting its economic development, social progress and openness.

At present, the construction of the Olympic venues is all on schedule, with the main structures of most venues and facilities having been completed. Beijing has tightened measures to address air pollution in its bid to improve air quality. For example, it has put in place an air quality monitoring mechanism and tried to prevent sandstorms by promoting forestation. The crackdown on violations of Olympics-related intellectual property rights is also making an impact. The recruitment of Olympic volunteers is in full swing, and more than 530,000 people from home and abroad have signed up.

The world is waiting. Sydney, Athens, and London to which Beijing will pass the Olympic torch, are all keeping a close eye on Beijing. Are you ready, Beijing, when you have just one year to go? Now it is time to reap the fruit of the efforts made in the past six years. The coming year is going to be a period for reviewing the past and making further improvement. As the construction sites become quieter and as the initial excitement ebbs away with the passage of time, the Chinese people are confident as ever. We look forward to meeting you in Beijing in 2008.