China's Olympic soccer team will be practicing next month at Chelsea's training ground just outside London.
Chelsea, which launched a Chinese-language Web site in Beijing earlier this week, said yesterday that the Chinese Olympic team would arrive on Feb. 1 in London and train for two weeks.
``We are sure their team will find Chelsea welcoming and the training facilities excellent,'' Chelsea business director Paul Smith said in a statement.
Smith and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon visited Beijing on Monday to launch the Web Site, an effort by another European soccer team to promote its brand in the world's most populous country.
Smith said the London trip would also involve meetings between officials organizing the Beijing 2008 Olympics and London's edition in 2012.
"There will also be huge interest in the trip, so it is a great opportunity for all of us to promote Olympic cooperation between Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and general goodwill between London and the other major cities of China," Smith said.
One of China's top players, central midfielder Zheng Zhi, joined English Premier League team Charlton Athletic this week on loan from Chinese side Shandong Luneng. Charlton has an option to make the deal permanent.
Zheng, who is not expected to be rushed into first-team play, is likely to make his debut in a reserve game with Chelsea later this month.
"The Chinese Football Association believes Chelsea can help develop and deepen the experience and training of the Chinese Olympic squad," Chinese Football Association Secretary Xie Yalong said.
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