Hopes for success in Guangzhou

Like many other diplomats(外交官) across Asia, Ikram Adyrbekov, the Kazakhstan(哈薩克斯坦) ambassador [?m?b?s?d?](大使)to China, believes that the true significance [siɡ?nifik?ns](意義) of the Guangzhou Asian games lies in its potential [p??ten??l](潛力)to help unite [ju:?nait](團結(jié)) countries across the continent [?k?ntin?nt](亞洲)and create a truly harmonious Asia(和諧亞洲).

He said: "Asia is a continent composed of a number of countries with rich cultural resources.(豐富的文化資源) In order to create a genuinely harmonious Asia, we have to respect these different cultures and allow them to work together."

He believes that the 16th Guangzhou Asian Games, like the Beijing Olympic Games before it, will offer audiences an unforgettable visual treat(難忘的視覺盛宴). He has high expectations, in particular, of both the opening and closing ceremonies(開閉幕式).

He said the Chinese people's traditional warm hospitality(傳統(tǒng)的熱情接待) and state-of-the-art sports venues(具有先進水平的體育場館) have left a deep impression on him: "Guangzhou has successfully constructed and renovated(修復(fù)) a large number of sports venues(體育場館) and facilities within a short time, with the majority of the preparation work already completed."

Turning to the preparation work undertaken by the Kazakhstan team in the buildup to the Games, Adyrbekov recalled(回憶) the country's successes at the 15th Asian Games, held four years ago in Doha in Qatar. Overall(總的來說), the Kazakhstan team took fourth place(第四名), winning a total of 85 medals (23 gold, 20 silver, 42 bronze). This ranked it just behind China, South Korea and Japan.

Recalling this success, he said: "In recent years, the ability of our athletes to win medals, in both Asian and global tournaments(全球性的比賽), has continued to improve. We have won both in the International Tour(國際巡回賽) and the Olympics. These achievements(成就) would have been impossible without the support of our national leadership [?li:d??ip](領(lǐng)導(dǎo))."

Kazakhstan's athletes have participated(參加) in the Asian Games since the 1990s.