Related story: Fireworks to highlight Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

Date/Time: 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 23

Venue: Main Press Center (MPC)

Sun Weide

Good afternoon, Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our today's press conference at MPC on fireworks display. Introduction of the guests on stage, Mr. Wang Ning, executive deputy director of Opening & Closing Ceremonies Department, BOCOG, director of the Opening & Closing Ceremonies Operation Centre, Mr. Deng Shaohui, deputy director of Opening & Closing Ceremonies Department, BOCOG, deputy director of Opening & Closing Ceremonies Operation Centre, Mr. Cai Guoqiang, member of Core Creative Team, director of Visual & Special Effects of Opening & Closing Ceremonies for Olympics & Paralympics. To start, Mr. Wang Ning will give us a brief introduction of the plan of the fireworks on the Opening Ceremony.

Wang Ning

Friends from media, good afternoon. It is a pleasure for me to talk about the fireworks display for the Beijing Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on the evening of 8th of August complementing with the cultural performances and protocol proceedings.

1. At the Opening Ceremony, we will set up above the National Stadium Olympic Central Zone, Olympic Forest Park, north-south access line and the Great Wall at Juyongguan. The fireworks will be dazzling of different various combinations lasting 20 minutes, altogether creating joyous and festive atmosphere of jubilation.

2. Reflecting the Olympic ideals

The fireworks at the ceremony will have different shapes and combinations; we will try to add elements as well as symbols to reflect the Olympic ideals. We hope to promote the Olympic ideals though the ignition of fireworks. For example, some of the fire works will be fired off to give stories of the Olympic history, it will depict how the ideals arrive in Beijing and finally settled in the Bird's Nest, and also depict how Chinese are aspired to achieve the century's dreams for the Olympics. For the first time, the shape of the Olympic Rings will be formed.

3. Implementing the idea of High-tech Olympic Games

Some of the technologies are very sophisticated. For instance, compressive air launch, chamber pressure launch and computerized ignition technologies. All of these technologies will be employed for the first time for fireworks display. This clearly shows the feature of a 'High-tech Olympics'.

4. Highlighting the characteristic of a 'Green Olympics'

Some of the fireworks at the Opening Ceremony will use small smoke powder, or so-called 'minimum smoke powder'. Some sophisticated launch tech will reduce the smoke and dust to minimize the impact or pollution to the environment.

5. We are aiming to achieve in and out of the venue effects.

At the Opening Ceremony, for the Olympic Games, the fireworks will not only be for the sake of the people inside the venue and the Olympic Green, the central zone outside the venue will also be combined. The fireworks are along the Olympic Green all the way to the forest park.

6. We are experimenting new fireworks.

In addition to traditional fireworks, we also use new types. For example, chip controlled shell and special affect display shells.

Above are some of the characteristics of the fireworks of the Opening Ceremony for the Beijing Olympic Games. The fireworks involve a large area. It is very difficult and complicated to carry out. The fireworks will be set off at different stages. We also have high standard to ensure the safety, safe and sound operation of the fireworks, we organize specialists and experts to put together document for the quality, safety, reliability and high-tech reliability and check delivering as well as storage for the fireworks and collateral devices and equipment. Meantime, after repeated experiments, we also developed elaborate plan as well as operational plan to supervise the operation.

It will not affect the rules or the parade of the athletes on August 8. We will also take measures to ensure the security and infrastructures. On July 16, we conducted the first rehearsal of our Opening Ceremony. Overall, the fireworks rehearsal met our expectations. Our work and operation were tested especially. I want to mention that after the rehearsal, the fireworks caused no damage to the steel bone structure of the National Stadium or to the main brain structure, or to the on-site audiences. Today is 16 days away from the Opening Ceremony, and we are still refining our plan. We hope to make our fireworks the most spectacular part of the Opening Ceremony.

That is my introduction. I would like to present one of my colleagues here. He is the creator and designer of the fireworks at the Olympic Games, Mr. Cai Guoqiang, acclaimed artists. Thank you.

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