Beijing's Olympic legacy

Great meeting with the Vice Mayor of Beijing Chen Gang, who handled all the construction for their Olympics.

I'm impressed how the city is already moving beyond the Games to ensure the site has a legacy. Chen Gang told me about a science museum and art gallery that will be opened in their park.

The athletes' apartments - praised by their occupants over the last few weeks - are all set to be sold off. Many of the venues are already tied to universities and students will soon enjoy them.

I'm told of other potentially lasting benefits to this city, like the traffic-reducing measures put in place for the Games. Locals have got used to only driving their cars on alternate days, according to whether their registration plate ends in an odd or even number. The scheme's due to end tomorrow but there's widespread public support for keeping it and the Mayor of Beijing is very tempted.

Air quality was vastly improved by the closure of dozens of factories before the Games and friends tell me most of those will not re-open.

The trick for us is to build on the good relationship between London and Beijing in the aftermath of these Games. That's why I've just had lunch at Beijing Zoo, which wants closer collaboration with London Zoo. In time, sharing expertise could lead to exchanging staff and some animals, as well as pooling resources to conserve habitats and protect endangered species.

Had the joy of feeding an otter and baby panda before being handsomely fed myself.

Big day in Beijing.

Olympics minister - Tessa Jowell - is celebrating her birthday. Just handed her a large bunch of roses and a chocolate mousse cake. Also picked up a new suit from a Chinese tailor for my big moment tonight. Don't want any suggestions that I'm scruffy this time when I wave the flag.

Met some of the athletes for lunch. Exceptional people. All seemed pleased with the facilities here - particularly the athetes village. Considering the high demands on them their own requirements seem modest - good food, effective transport and comfortable accomodation.

This will be my second Olympic performance, but taking no chances. Just had a full dress rehearsal in the Bird's Nest stadium. Pretty straightforward without an audience but I know it'll feel very different when I take the flag for real tonight.

An unexpected cure for jetlag

Just found the cure for jetlag. It's wheelchair basketball. An overnight flight and a string of high level meetings was taking its toll when I managed to squeeze in to observe a fierce battle between the Paralympics GB team and the USA. Rarely do you see such dexterity, versatility and aggression on such open display. As a former rugby player I watched in awe.

I also noticed the venue was bursting with spectators - many of them youngsters in yellow polo shirts having the time of their life. Some of the lessons I took from the games in August have clearly already been taken on by Beijing.

The atmosphere is more relaxed and easy going. They have worked out ways of filling empty seats. And hanging around in the park has become an attractive option for thousands here. If they can learn that quickly we must surely be capable of an awesome Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in 2012.

Back in Beijing for the Paralympics

The flags look similar. But the posters have changed. Giant murals are now draped from mid-sized skyscrapers in Central Beijing, heralding a new generation of sporting heroes.

I smile as I spot a ping pong bat, then slide my gaze down the wall to the wheelchair. You could easily overlook it and it's hard to think of the elite athlete drawing my attention as disabled. It's a similar story in the papers and on the TV. The images are iconic, heroic, cool, and cutting edge - not the first words that you associate with public images of disabled people in China, the UK - or most of the world, to be honest.

These Games, I'm told, have transformed perceptions of Paralympians in China and the authorities have used the opportunity to invest in major practical improvements for them too. Every underground station, for instance, is now officially accessible. I have high hopes for London in 2012 but I realise there's a huge challenge too if we're to build on the achievements of Beijing.

Promoting London in China

Great party at London House. Loads of athletes and all the stars. Had lots of fun with Jimmy Page, Leona Lewis and David Beckham. Also met Jackie Chang on top form.

Delighted with London House and thrilled that the LDA put it together so well whille spending around 30% less than Ken Livingstone had planned.

They've also put it to extremely good commerical use. Over the last few days I've been dropping in on various brunches, lunches and dinners. Elegant people have held orderly meetings in quiet rooms away from the party goers and the press.

And today I learn that more than a hundred Chinese companies have held talks about doing business in London. Around 30 have expressed a serious interest in moving ahead.
This morning - I struck a deal with one of them. Geong makes software for online banking and trading - among other things. They recently listed on AIM and I was thrilled to hear them say how much better their experience was of our Alternative Investment Market than the other exchanges they'd looked at around the world.

Henry Tse told me in perfect English that opening an office in London is the logical next step and he's just signed a letter of intent comitting to that as he seeks to grow his business in Europe.

A London taxi is now set to drive around 12 Chinese cities seeking other opportunities. I dread to think what the fare would be, but on the basis of the last few weeks, I'm confident the customer - in this case London - will be getting a bargain.

An amazing closing ceremony

What can I say?! The fireworks - I expected. Cunning choreography on massive scale would always be there. But enormous drums dangling a hundred feet above the most awesome percussion unit ever was pretty spectacular.

Then came the weird wheels and strange carnival floats that were both quaintly old fashioned and strikingly high tech. It was hard to know where to look - up or down, left or right, foreground or distance. Throughout I was terrified of missing a gem and if you missed the whole thing you really ought to make time to catch up.

I felt immense pride watching Britain's athletes taking their place. And then a heady cocktail of anticipation and mild anxiety spotting the red carpet which would take me to the centre of this pageant to receive the flag. By the standards of the overall ceremony my task was so humble, involving four swings of such stunning simplicity that I cannot claim any credit for not messing it up.

But it was nevertheless a moment of intense pride for me - pride in Team GB who had a fantabulous games, pride in the people behind their efforts, and greatest pride of all that London - my home - is now the official capital of world sport and the next Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Last night at the Beijing Olympics

Glorious last night of athletics. Mesmerised by parabolic javelin throws and gravity defying high jumps. Texted with news of Olympic gold for the Harlesden boxer, James DeGale.

Sitting with David Beckham at the time, with Seb Coe on my right. Next to him - as evidence of the political unity on this one - Gordon Brown.

We did the same this morning at London House - as I hopped with my begging bowl from one business brunch to another.

The father of Chinese venture capitalism has just given me a tie. Is it a hint I ask, noting that I'm one of the only people around the table not wearing one.

Who knows? My mission here is to tempt them to bring their huge wedges of cash to London. Our city is the global capital of finance, but I've been constantly reminded over the last few days that the Chinese do capitalism extremely well.

They also do Olympics very well and as I psych myself up to take the flag at the closing ceremony tonight I'm intensely conscious of the challenge ahead.

'The podium will grow up overnight'

'The podium will grow up overnight'

So says the charming man walking me through the final ceremony. He was referring to the sweet spot in the Bird's Nest where I will humbly receive the Olympic flag.

I have rehearsed it many times in my head. But today I got shown in detail what to expect on the ground.

Before any public performance, I'll be shaking hands with the four most senior politicians in China. Pondering that I bumped into Diego Maradonna - big smiles all round. Had a jog on the track just to imagine what that would feel like.

And then - two top tips on waving the flag. Opening it, or unfurling it properly is the first challenge. And its tougher than you think. Then I'm told to ensure I show my face as I wave it four times.

What's needed they tell me here is to show the world our confidence. That - in front of billions of people and the finest physical specimens of our times, will be tough indeed - but I also can't wait!

London 2012 - building on Beijing

Intimacy. That's how London can build on Beijing.

Everyone has their particular passion, but everyone also asks how London can possibly match what we've witnessed here in China.

The honest answer is that it will be hard. In terms of scale, I dare say its impossible, but as I see it, that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Stratford is more compact and I'd generally really like to see a more intimate feel to the whole exercise than we've witnessed here. Also noticed a significant number of empty seats which we must avoid in 2012 as the world's best have a right to expect a capacity crowd to perform to.

Determined that Londoners who are paying extra for these games and particularly our kids get to witness this spectacle.

Let's also make sure that corporate sponsors rsvp their intentions - so any unwanted tickets are passed on. And when those who have taken their tickets vacate their seats, let's ensure they - again - are reallocated to those who'll enjoy and appreciate the sport as much as I do.

A busy day

Toured the Olympic Village with Simon Clegg, Chief Executive of the British Olympic Association and Ben Hunt Davies, a rowing gold medallist from Sydney 2000.

Gave opening address at a reception to discuss making London the top spot for major sporting events where I promised to do all I can to help London win the right to stage the Rugby World Cup in 2015.

Briefed several journalists at the London House.

Attended the boxing semi-finals to watch John De Gale win another medal for Team GB.
Attended a reception at the London House attended by business representatives from the Chinese creative industries sector to encourage them to set up business in London.

Tour of the Athletes' Village

Dream day so far. Breakfast time tour of athletes' village. Sun shining, UK athletes smiling and facilities looking splendid.

Flags on arrival suggest we've arrived at a UN conference on birth control. And the UN are in fact handing out condoms here - advising athletes to 'play safe'.

Ben Hunt-Davies, a rowing gold in Sydney, shows me his quarters - an attractive apartment with bespoke pillows, great bathrooms, TV, fridge, wifi and a TV studio nearby.

An enormous basement runs under the entire village - more storage space than you'd ever need, doubling up as a secure bunker. The heavy doors suggest this is designed to withstand a very serious bomb - a sobering reminder we have to take security very seriously.

Oriental gardens to soothe the soul lie next to an impressive gym and 50 metre swimming pool. Those working out here are an awesome site - top of their game; the finest physical specimen in the world.

They're modest too and unnervingly well adjusted. Goldie Sayers explains calmly how she missed a medal by 38 centimeters. Ben confirms to me that she'll relive that javelin throw for ever - adding that his own worst experience of life, as well as his best was at the Olympics.

What these athletes manage is Herculean. Those of us charged with delivering 2012 in London have a huge responsibility to do them justice. They need the best facilites - to prepare for the games and inhabit when they're underway.

But the village we build them has to be attractive to others when the Games are over. The Chinese have no doubt that the flats filled by Olympians this week will be easily sold to the emerging middle class of Beijing. And if they can manage that - so should we.

At the Olympic Stadium with the Mayor of Beijing

Just seen the stadium. Superb. And squeezed in just in time to see Phillips Idowu from Hackney take silver in the triple jump. Well done him.

Spotting his slot among all the a ctivities taking place in tandem wasn’t easy. And the scale, shape and structure of the stadium is wonderfully distracting.

The water cube next to the birds nest changes colour like an upright disco floor. And the Mayor of Beijing tells me it’s built from green, flexible, state of the art material with water heated geo-thermally.

Twas an interesting drive to the site. No Olympic lane on the backstreets but worth snaking slowly past red lanterns, elaborate arches and crawling cars. Only those with odd numbers on their plates are a llowed into town today - one of the elaborate traffic management measures put into place for the games. The Mayor told me he might keep it in pla ce long-term to combat the extra 1000 cars which are added to the city’s streets every day.

They’ve also suspended work at countless factories for three weeks to improve the local air quality. One thing they won’t do is introduce a congestion charge. When I suggested that to my opposite number, he told me he wouldn’t dare.

Arriving in Beijing

Singled out for extra security search at Heathrow and swabbed for explosives. Must look suspicious. Or is it revenge for my opposition to a 3rd runway?

Heavily armed police at plane door - not for me but to deport an illegal immigrant. Flight fine.
Surprised to see rain on arrival. Feel very at home in Beijing airport - designed (like City Hall) by Norman Foster.

Wonderfull, warm welcome by friendly officials who escort us to a 10 course feast with the Mayor of Beijing Loads of great tips. And impressed by his sounbites - how he seeks prosperity, civility and harmony for Beijing. Also how he'd aimed for a green, high tech people's Olympics.

Not sure what the interpreter made of the phrase but noticed the smile when I said 'we take our hats off to Beijing '.