The selection of mascots for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympics is officially underway, and the winning designs will be announced next June.

The Mascots Design Competition Office affiliated with Beijing Olympics Organization Committee has received about 660 mascot designs.

614 are from the Chinese mainland, 11 from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and about 40 from overseas.

Mascot designs include Chinese animals like the panda, elk and Tibetan antelope. Other designs include Chinese characters like the Monkey King.

Source: CRI news