Beijing's Olympic Organizing Committee (BOCOG) has unveiled a program aimed at attracting more sponsors as the Chinese capital prepares to host the 2008 Olympics.
BOCOG has signed seven deals awarding marketing and promotion rights to five Chinese companies. The German automaker Volkswagen and the German sportswear company Adidas have also signed sponsorship deals.
Beijing's Olympic marketing director, Yuan Bin, is quoted by the Xinhua News Agency as saying one or two more partners are likely to sign deals in the near future. Many categories remain open, including logistics, courier services, fast food, nutrition supplements and telecommunications networks.
The International Olympic Committee has said it is pleased with Beijing's preparations. However, organizers have been forced to cut the budget for the Games. Construction on the main stadium stopped last July because of a lack of money.
Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.
