The US Ambassador to China Clark T Randt Jr addresses the media in the new US Embassy compound in Beijing on Tuesday, August 5, 2008. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]
Related: Inauguration of China's New Embassy in US
Bush to Open New U.S.Embassy in Beijing on 1st Olympic Day
The new U.S. Embassy in Beijing was opened to media on Tuesday ahead of its official inauguration on August 8, the day the Beijing Olympics begin.
The New Embassy Compound (NEC), which cost more than four years to construct, spans across ten acres in Beijing's third diplomatic enclave in the Liangmahe neighborhood.
According to the U.S. Ambassador to China, Clark T Randt Jr, the new compound will provide a consolidated, secure operating site for the US Embassy staff in China to work together for the first time.
Project Director of the NEC William Prior believed that the compound will facilitate the work of the embassy staff who are now working in separate places.
"This will bring all those people onto the compound that will hopefully make the U.S. government more efficient, and it makes their work much easier to perform and be responsible to the public."
Both Chinese and American citizens who come for visas and other issues will also benefit since a single building now handles all visa and American citizen services.
The NEC consists of five buildings, including an 8-story main chancery, a 3-story atrium office building, a consular building, a marine security guard quarters and recreation building, and a parking lot.
The complex imbibes both Chinese and American elements, and was built by American and Chinese workers with a mixture of materials from both countries. Project Architect Jay Holleran explains how the compound was planned.
"What we want really is for our project to represent the very best American architecture: twentieth century modern buildings. But we also want to adhere to Chinese planning principles."
The art collections displayed at the new embassy are by Chinese, American-Chinese and American artists.
Inaugurated at almost the same time as the new Chinese Embassy in Washington, the NEC is considered as a symbol of the growing importance of U.S.-China ties, according to Ambassador Randt.
"This spectacular new embassy complex will provide the United States government with a platform appropriate for the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century, the United States-China relationship."
Project Director William Prior hoped the two countries would advance bilateral relations, on the backdrop of China and the U.S. celebrating 30 years of diplomatic relations.
"We have had a growing relationship with China for thirty years and we hope it continues to grow. We think that this facility will serve our needs for the foreseeable future for quite some time."
The new Embassy will be formally inaugurated on Friday with the attendance of President George W. Bush and his father, former president George Herbert Walker Bush.