As the host country , China had a total of 639 athletes qualified for places on the national team , being the largest in its Olympic history . Chinese athletes qualified to compete in all 28 Olympic sports for the first time . Among these athletes , 469 had competed at their first Olympics , 165 in Athens 2004 , and 37 in Sydney 2000 . Diver Guo Jingjing , shooter Tan Zongliang and basketballer Li Nan , made their fourth Olympic appearances , having first competed in Atlanta 1996 . China also included 460 officials , making a total of 1,099 delegates . According to Olympic protocol , China entered as the last nation into the Beijing National Stadium during the opening ceremony , and was led by basketballer Yao Ming and Lin Hao , a 9-year-old primary school student who had rescued two schoolmates during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake
2008 Sichuan earthquake
2008 Sichuan earthquake
China at the 2008 Summer Olympics