By LI Linxu
As athletes from around the world are ready to shine at Paris Olympics, Chinese suppliers are also making a splash at the quadrennial event.
From balls to bicycles, and from weightlifting equipment to court flooring, an increasing number of Chinese suppliers are visible at the Olympics.
The highly-anticipated table tennis events are scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 10. While Chinese players are a major force to win the titles, Chinese suppliers are also ubiquitous in the arena.
The table tennis mixed doubles competition at Paris 2024. (PHOTO: XINHUA)
The balls are being supplied by a Chinese sports equipment manufacturer from south China's Guangdong province. They underwent 15 quality checks before being shipped to Paris, ensuring that they more than meet the standards set by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
The table tennis tables are provided by a sports equipment maker from Shanghai. The dazzling tables retain the essence of a classic rainbow design, with a black base, a vibrant pink outline, and a cutting-edge lighting system. The blend of tradition and innovation has received high praise from the Paris Olympic Committee and special approval from the ITTF.
The table tennis flooring is manufactured by an innovative enterprise based in north China's Hebei province. Using recyclable rubber materials, the tech-heavy flooring was engineered for optimal traction and shock absorption
The growing presence of Chinese suppliers can be seen in other arenas as well.
As the International Weightlifting Federation's sole official supplier for the Paris Olympics, a sports equipment manufacturer from Hebei is a heavyweight player in the weightlifting arena.
During the Games, it will provide competition weightlifting platforms, competition barbells, warm-up weightlifting platforms and other weightlifting equipment for the training venue. Using technological innovation, the company has significantly reduced various deviations in barbells, garnering praise from athletes.
In the football matches, Chinese-manufactured football bladders with embedded chips can do 500 identifications per second, assisting referees in determining handballs and offsides.
As the Games start, Chinese suppliers are also gearing up to showcase their best and make the Paris Olympics a platform for their going-global push.
On June 22, the Sino-French satellite Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM) was successfully launched. Earlier, on May 3, China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe carried France's Detection of Outgassing RadoN to the moon, marking the first collaboration between the two countries in lunar exploration and France's debut in a lunar landing project. This year also celebrates the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, highlighting their longstanding cooperation in space.
Pushing the development of tech innovation is needed to achieve China's goal of becoming a leading sports nation by 2035, as well as becoming a modernized country.
