PM to attend Beijing Olympics

The prime minister will attend this year's Beijing Olympics, it has been confirmed.

As part of his visit to China on Friday, Gordon Brown was invited to the August Games by premier Wen Jiabao.

In a sign of the strengthening relations between the two nations, it will be Brown's second visit to the country in the space of eight months.

Brown also said it would be an opportunity for London to learn lessons from China ahead of its own hosting of the following summer Games in 2012.

During a question and answer session with students Brown was asked if he would be attending the event.

He replied: "I will most certainly come to the Olympic Games if I'm invited and the reason I want to come is to learn from what I know will be the great success of China so we can follow you in London in 2012.

"I believe for young people in particular, the contact that will happen will build cultural bridges that will stand us in good stead for the years to come."

Premier Wen replied that: "Here on behalf of the Chinese government, I would like to extend the invitation again to prime minister Brown and Mrs Brown both to come to China for the Olympic Games."

Earlier Brown had praised Beijing's preparations as "wonderful and successful".