Event: At that time, China's legal seat in the IOC had not yet been restored, and one billion Chinese were excluded from the Olympic family. It was through Samaranch's efforts to persuade the European Olympic Committee members to support the restoration of China's legal seat in the IOC that the proposal was finally adopted a year and a half later, and the new China finally returned to the international Olympic family.
Quote: "I couldn't figure out at that time that a big country with a billion people was not a member of the IOC."
(ii) Time: In 1982, Samaranch visited China for the second time. By then, he had become president of the IOC.
Event: During his visit to China, Samaranch met with then-President Deng Xiaoping and discussed the possibility of hosting the Olympics in China in the future. And earlier, in 1981, it was with Samaranch's assistance that He Zhenliang became a member of the National Olympic Committee, giving the Chinese a place in international sports organizations.
Quote, "A nation that is bound to be strong must need to express its voice in the IOC; and the IOC must need the voice of China."
(3) Time: In 1984, the new Chinese Olympic delegation finally appeared on the Olympic stage, traveling to the United States to participate in the Los Angeles Games.
Event: Before the start of the games, Samaranch made a promise to the Chinese delegation to give an award to the first athlete to win gold. And the back story is still fresh in everyone's mind - on the opening day, Xu Haifeng shot down the first Olympic gold for China, and it was also the first gold medal of that Olympics. During the award ceremony, Samaranch personally hung up the gold medal for Xu Haifeng. And said, "For China, the Olympic gold medal came too late." And also in 1984, Samaranch was invited to China to talk with then-President Deng Xiaoping and attend the 35th anniversary of the new China's National Day.
Quote: "If China had regained its seat on the IOC earlier, the gold medal would have belonged to China long ago."
(4) Time: Samaranch visited China again in 1989.
Event: Samaranch met with Chinese leaders to substantively discuss the possibility of giving the Olympics to China to host. Inspired by Samaranch, the Chinese government began to actively prepare for the Olympic Games and embarked on the bidding process. In addition, Samaranch also supported He Zhenliang, who was elected vice president of the IOC in 1990.
Quote: "From bringing China back into the international Olympic family , to seeing China host a great Olympics, and more importantly, seeing the Olympics really play a role in helping China go global and play a vital role in the world of the future, I feel that China is the greatest achievement of my career in the Olympic Movement. "
(v) When: 1992, Barcelona Olympics.
Event: On the awards podium, Samaranch's cordial interaction with Deng Yaping was memorable for all the countrymen. After winning the women's singles table tennis championship of that Olympics, Deng Yaping enjoyed the honor of receiving the gold medal presented by Mr. Samaranch. And Mr. Samaranch also said that he greatly appreciated Deng Yaping's high skill and brave and tenacious style of play, and even agreed with the latter that if Deng Yaping won the title again in Atlanta four years later, he would also personally present the award to the Chinese girl. And in 1996, Atlanta witnessed a memorable moment when Samaranch not only gave Deng Yaping the award again, but also stroked her cheek as if she were his granddaughter.
Quote, "Deng Yaping represents the Chinese, her skills and style of play are exciting to watch."
(6) Time: In October 1997, the 8th National Games opened in Shanghai, and Samaranch once again came to China and attended the opening ceremony.
Event: Samaranch has always supported China's bid to host the Olympics, and even after China lost to Sydney by one vote in 1993, it was Samaranch who continued to encourage China to bid again. At the Games, Samaranch also expressed confidence in seeing China successfully host the Olympics in 2008.
Quote, "A strong China will certainly succeed in hosting the Olympics, and this will make my life full of pride and satisfaction."
(vii) Time: July 13, 2001, the site of the 2008 Olympic Games was revealed in Moscow.
Event: The scene in which Samaranch announced that Beijing, China, had won the right to host the 2008 Olympics was a vivid one for many Chinese. Although Samaranch himself did not have the right to vote, he has said publicly on several occasions, "It is my greatest wish before I leave office to make Beijing host the Olympics once." On July 13, 2001, in Moscow, Samaranch himself made that exciting announcement to all Chinese. Three days later, Samaranch, who had fulfilled his greatest wish for his term of office, announced that he was stepping down.
Quote, "The wish has been fulfilled. Beijing getting the right to host is very important for the IOC, more than the Chinese government, and for myself."
In addition to this, in the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, which also published an article he wrote entitled "Why do I love and respect China? Because of this, I was able to enjoy the friendship of the Chinese people and their love for me at this Beijing Olympics, which is an emotion that is hard to express in words. I have visited China 29 times in 30 years. I have gained love and friendship from China and learned to love and respect the Chinese people."