Having just said farewell to about 300 of the world's top tennis players for the China Open — plus a group of American pop superstars simultaneously in Beijing to perform at the “Wall of Hope concert” — the Chinese capital's five-star Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing will quickly again roll out its red carpet to welcome more than 60 global beauty contestants for the Miss International Beauty Pageant 2004.

First mounted in Long Beach, California, 44 years ago and later held annually in Japan for more than three decades, the pageant will be in Beijing for the first time. Its final will be held at the Workers' Stadium on October 16.

The pageants contestants are chosen by their home countries as Ambassador of Peace and Beauty. Part of their role is to promote positive aspects of society and encourage wider contact between peoples. The Beijing pageant is co-organized by International Cultural Association of Japan and China International Cultural Dispersion Centre.

All the contestants will gather in Beijing on October 8 and be based at Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing until the pageant is over. The pageant's organizing committee has chosen the hotel's elegant Chinese garden as one of the sites for the filming of certain activities, in addition to receptions and gala dinners to be held at the hotel's grand ballroom.

The hotel general manager George Wee has had one of the busiest and most memorable months of his career. He said: First we hosted all the tennis players, then pop stars such as Cyndi Lauper and Alicia Keys. Now we are preparing for some of the world's most glamorous and intelligent women. And yes, I plan to get their autographs too!