(by Sh.Nakata)

Beijing Olympics are expected to attract the world’s biggest companies such as Visa, General Electric and Samsung to place money in China.

The world’s largest credit card company Visa International Inc. is eager to become 2008 Olympics sponsor to extend its card market in China as only 100,000 businesses accept payment with a Visa card there, as compared with the U.S. figure of 5 million. Visa also cooperates with China’s national tourism board to form package tour offers for Visa cardholders.

General Electric Co. plans to lift sales in China to $5 billion by 2005 from $2.6 billion last year. It has already started to create ads with Olympic logo intending to start power generation, lighting and water-treatment equipment campaigns approximately in September.

Samsung is going to boost its annual sales in China up to $20 billion from the present $4 billion. It sponsors running races and planting trees at Olympic venues.

All three companies have paid $79 million each for right to use Olympic images in their advertising campaigns.


The International Olympic Committee has already received $866 million for the next four years from global sponsors. This figure includes 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy. Sponsors say the sum is justified.