LONDON -- Wu Chengzhang, a basketball player who played for China at the 1948 London Olympic Games, met Britain's Foreign Officer Jeremy Brown on Monday during his first visit in London after 64 years.
Browne said that he is glad to see the 88-year-old coming back to London again after 64 years. He said that Wu not only brings exclusive Olympic memory from the last London Olympics, but also represents the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
"It symbolizes the great friendship between our two countries. There are a billion of Chinese people and Mr Wu is just one but he represents the spirit of the Olympic Games when it was held in London.
"And of course there is great Olympic Games 4 years ago in Beijing. And now the Olympic Games is held in London again and when Mr Wu competed here, he was in his early 20s. He was a young man now he is an old man but he has many great memories of coming to London 64 years ago. So I think it represents a human friendship between our two countries, China and Britain. And it's wonderful to have Mr Wu in London."
Browne introduced to Wu the situation of London 2012 and led him touring through Britain's contribution in areas including education, business, creativity and innovation.
What is worth mentioning is that Browne brought the 1948 Olympic torch, which Wu saw after 64 years.
"I am very glad to come back again," Wu said. "I visited again the Big Ben, Westminster Bridge and River Thames. Everything is still the same."
Browne considered Wu's visit as a reminder to the last Olympic Games held in London, he also said that it represented the Olympic spirit that remained unchanged despite the massive development the Games has undergone in the 64 years.
"It creates a wonderful human link between the Olympic last time and the Olympics this time. Of course Olympic has changed a lot. It's much bigger now. There are many more competitors. There are more countries involved, but it's a great competition between human beings and great friendships created. "
China defeated Britain 52-25 in the 1948 Games but Britain took the revenge on Monday after 64 years when they outplayed China 90-58 in their last Group B match, watched by Wu and Lionel Price, a member of the losing British team in 1948.
Price, now 85, said of Wu, "He is a lovely man. And he is a great and intelligent man. He is marvelous at his 80s. We are friends and hopefully in the next few years we will get together again some time I hope."
