SelectPlusNew American Embassy Opens in BeijingNew American Embassy Opens in BeijingThe Associated PressJust days before the Olympics begin, the United States has opened a new embassy in China. It's the second-largest U.S. Embassy. (Aug. 5)THE UNITED STATES IS WELCOMING THE START OF THE SUMMER OLYMPICS IN CHINA-- BY OPENING A BRAND NEW EMBASSY IN BEIJING.THE 500-THOUSAND -SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING COST MORE THAN 400-MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD. IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST U-S EMBASSY IN THE WORLD, SECOND ONLY TO THE COMPLEX IN BAGHDAD. THE CHOICE OF SIZE AND LOCATION SHOWS THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF CHINA. ("This spectacular new embassy complex will provide the United States government with a platform appropriate for the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century - the United States-China relationship" )THE NEW COMPLEX IS MORE THAN 20-YEARS IN THE MAKING. THE PROJECT TOOK ON NEW IMPORTANCE AFTER THE ATTACKS ON AMERICAN EMBASSYS IN AFRICA A DECADE AGO. ("Given the current security environment that we're in, it's expensive to use this amount of glass, because we need to design it in such a way that it resists a car bomb attack, and other sorts of hostile actions")THE NEW EMBASSY HAS SPACE FOR 700-STAFFERS AND MORE THAN 20 FEDERAL AGENCIES. BUT IT'S ALREADY TOO SMALL. CONSTRUCTION WILL SOON BEGIN ON AN ADDITION.