Kalla meets China’s Xi Jinpeng

Primastuti Handayani ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Beijing   |  Sun, 08/24/2008 3:40 PM  |  Headlines

Vice President Jusuf Kalla met with China's vice president Xi Jinpeng here Sunday, praising China's success in holding the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Indonesia congratulates China for successfully holding the Olympic Games. From all the Olympics, this is the best and the grandest of all," Kalla told Xi in a bilateral meeting at the Great Hall's of the People.

"Indonesia has won a gold medal, one silver and three bronzes from badminton and weightlifting. Badminton has long been our much loved sport.

Indonesia's gold medal was presented by badminton world No. 1 and world champions men's doubles pair Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan, after they defeated Chinese duo Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng on Aug. 16. The country also won a silver from mixed doubles pair Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir and earned three bronzes from women's singles shuttler Maria Kristin Yulianti and men's weightlifters Eko Yuli Irawan and Triyatno.

Kalla, who witnessed Argentina's 1-0 victory over Nigeria to claim men's soccer gold last Saturday, said that Indonesia could learn a lot from China.

"The Olympics have been conducted perfectly," he said.

Xi reiterated that the Olympics have been Chinese' century-old dream.

"The Beijing Olympics' atmosphere is felt in the whole Asia. The Olympics is our century-old dream and it is our commitment to the Olympics Family in the whole world. This is the third Olympics in Asian continent," he said.

The previous Olympics took place in Tokyo in 1964 and in Seoul in 1988.

"This Olympics should serve as a platform to develop sports throughout the world and to spread different culture from around the world," Xi said. (and)

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