China's Olympic team are among those being courted by city leaders in a bid to bring £40 million of investment to Sussex for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Brighton and Hove City Council will invite the Chinese squad to stay and train in the city in the months and weeks leading up to the competition.

The council believes hosting one of the world's highest-profile teams would help trigger an influx of visitors.

The city has proportionally one of the largest Chinese populations in the UK outside London.

Thousands have settled in Brighton and Hove and hundreds come every year to study.

Deputy council leader Sue John is keen to take advantage of Brighton and Hove's proximity to the capital and said the large proportion of Chinese people in the city would make it an ideal base for China's athletes.

She added: "We are very well placed and right on London's doorstep.

"Given our good transport links and growing range of sports facilities, as well as cultural attractions for visitors, this is a huge opportunity for the city."

The council is still a long way from firm decisions about its commitments for the Games but at a meeting last month it agreed to promote the city as a training camp for teams around the world.

An alternative plan to invite South Africa's team has also been suggested. South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, is a graduate of the University of Sussex.

Yesterday members of the city's Chinese community said they were keen for the council to pursue the idea of inviting China's squad.

Tang Qi, a lecturer at Sussex University and co-owner of the Chinese Business Gazette newspaper, said: "Hosting the Chinese would be good for Brighton and Hove.

"It would raise the profile of the city and encourage more students to come here to study."

Some of the facilities the council hopes will be available for training by 2012 have not yet been built.

Plans for a swimming pool at the King Alfred site in Hove, a football stadium at Falmer and an ice rink at Black Rock could be crucial in attracting competitors.

Sussex County Cricket Club has said the County Ground would be available.

Track and field facilities at Sussex University and Preston Park have also been mentioned.

Brighton and Hove will soon begin working with neighbouring authorities, Sport England and the South East England Development Agency (Seeda) to identify what it will be able to offer in seven years' time.

The city hopes to benefit from funding from a variety of sources including Seeda, the National Lottery and visiting countries.

The Chinese Embassy in London said the country is busy focusing its efforts on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

A spokesman said: "After the invitation is extended we will think about it and make our response."

Friday, August 5, 2005