The Beijing municipal government's primary task this year is
preparing for the 2008 Olympic Games, said mayor Wang Qishan on
Friday.
Wang made the remarks while delivering his work report during
the Beijing people's congress.
"With 560 days to go before the Olympics ...the preparation work
should not slack off," Wang said, adding that "2007 is the decisive
year for the preparations for the Olympic Games."
He said Beijing would complete the construction of 30
competition venues, 45 training venues, five related facilities and
the roads around all the venues.
Beijing will also start a series of infrastructure, sightseeing
and landscape engineering projects this year, the mayor said adding
the city would foster a good environment for the Olympic Games.
Beijing will also introduce new legislation and regulations
relating to the Olympic Games, said the Mayor. The city will also
work with the Olympic organizing committee to recruit, train
volunteers and improve the city's image.
The city will also promote a new code of conduct to help
Beijingers develop more cultured mannerisms and to teach more
residents how to speak English.
Earlier this month, the municipal transportation committee said
Beijing would repair more than 40 main roads and construct 27
arterial roads and nine expressways this year in preparation for
games.
The Chinese capital will also invest 870 million yuan (US$111.5
million) to repair and renovate the city's main east-west artery
Chang'an Avenue.
(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2007)