Samsung Electronics has donated cell phones to every member of the Chinese Olympic squad. The gift of 1,000 handsets is Samsung's largest marketing donation ever to a particular nation's Olympic team.

Samsung said a donation ceremony was held in Beijing on Friday attended by Park Keun-hee, president of Samsung Group Greater China Region, and Wang Jun, deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China and vice-president of the Chinese Olympic Committee.

The donated G618 "Olympics phone" features Olympics-related ringtones and images. As the official mobile phone of China's Olympic team, it will be used by 600 athletes and 400 coaches and staff.

A Samsung official said, "With the sponsorship, Samsung can use athlete photos to produce ads and preferred contractor programs (PCP), and Chinese gold medalists will visit the Samsung PR center during the Olympics for a signature event."

(englishnews@chosun.com )