China is to bid to stage the Summer Olympics in 2008, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said. Beijing, which was beaten in the race to stage the 2000 Games by Sydney four years ago despite being the pre-vote favourite, and Shanghai are the likely candidates, the IOC said in its newsletter.

Chinese Olympic officials had confirmed they would make a bid, the IOC said, and are expected to finalise their candidate after the national athletics championships in October.