The Wall Street Journal's Mei Fong writes on the parade of corporate grandees attending the Olympics. A couple of quotes frame the imperative of attending for those execs who have big business in China:

Lured by the growing importance of the Chinese market and the chance to help Beijing celebrate its biggest international event yet, the number of chief executives planning to attend the Beijing Games is likely to rival the number at the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, which often attracts more than 1,000 business leaders.

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"For those who wish to be important in business in China for the next 20 years, people in China will ask you if you were here during the Olympics. And if your answer is 'No,' they'll ask, 'Why?'" says Matt Estes, a Beijing-based businessman who is helping organize a gathering for the Young Presidents' Organization, an international club largely made up of CEOs younger than age 45.

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Showing up "to show support for China" is key for multinationals with stakes in the country, says James McGregor, CEO of consultancy JL McGregor & Co. "This is China's national achievement test, their way of telling the world, 'We've achieved. Give us credit,'" he adds.

Both the Chinese public and the country's leadership were quick to take offense when some heads of state publicly dithered over whether to attend the opening ceremony, following demonstrations against China's Tibet policies in London, Paris and other Western cities along the global Olympic-torch relay route.

It's going to be a very strange couple of weeks, with all these dignitaries seeing an uncanny simulation of what Beijing might be like as a town with clean air, good traffic and not too much construction. And where most residents stay home because it's too much hassle to go anywhere. Many of the VIPS will, of course, be familiar with the real Beijing from prior visits. Makes you wonder who's really PR-ing whom.

Disclosure:

Imagethief will be helping to support the visits of various corporate VIPS for the Olympics.