BEIJING, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Xinhua News Agency, the host news agency of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, launched the official website for the Games (www.beijing2008.news.cn) on Wednesday.

Xinhua, the largest news and information collecting and distribution organization in China, was appointed last October by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) the Host News Agency of the 2008 Olympics and entrusted to set up the National Olympic Photographic Pool (NOPP).

In line with the agreement, the Host News Agency is obliged to give a comprehensive news and photographic coverage of the Beijing Olympics for other Chinese media organizations, and the NOPP obliged to give a comprehensive photographic coverage of the Olympics, in particular of the host nation's athletes.

The NOPP should make available to the IOC and BOCOG, free of charge, every day during the Olympic Games, a full edited sets each to the IOC and BOCOG representing the best pictures of the NOPP production.

The official website of the 2008 Olympics Host News Agency, established and maintained by Xinhuanet, the online news service of Xinhua News Agency, releases news about the 2008 Olympic Games around the clock. It provides news service in three languages -- Chinese, English and French, and adopts an all-media approach in its release of news, including text, photos, graphics, audio, video and SMS.

Vice president of Xinhua Ma Shengrong made a commitment to fulfill the mission when signing the agreement with the IOC and BOCOG last October.

"It is our obligation to promote the Olympic Spirit around the globe and ensure a comprehensive coverage of the Beijing Olympics," said Ma.

"As Host News Agency, Xinhua would also like to promise to provide media organizations from all over the world with assistance to the best of our capacities," he added.

Xinhua is a news agency with a global reach, providing non-stop news service in seven languages -- Chinese, English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Portuguese.