34 years ago today, December 4, 1991 (October 29, 1991, the lunar calendar), Beijing officially bid for the 2000 Olympic Games. On December 4, 1991, China officially submitted its application to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2000 Olympic Games in Lausanne. Zhang Baifa, then executive vice chairman of the Beijing 2000 Olympic Games bidding committee and deputy mayor of Beijing City, led a delegation of the bidding committee and submitted the application to IOC President Samaranch in person at the IOC headquarters on the evening of the 4th. Samaranch happily received the application form from Zhang Baifa. He said: "You have embarked on a very difficult journey. You face many opponents. I wish you good luck with your application." The application report consists of three documents: a letter from Li Peng, then Premier of the State Council, to Samaranch, an official application report from Chen Xitong, then chairman of the Beijing 2000 Olympic Games Bidding Committee and mayor of Beijing City, and a recommendation letter from He Zhenliang, Chairman of the Olympic Committee of China.