Beijing's top leader Liu Qi said he hopes that the 2008 Olympic
Games would be prudent and corruption-free, and has called for
public support to create "warm, festive atmosphere" in the run-up
to the event.
The secretary of the Beijing municipal committee of the
Communist Party of China said yesterday that it was not easy for
China to win the contest to host the Games. And it will be even
more difficult for Beijing to make it an exemplary event.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the Fifth Session of the 12th
Beijing Municipal People's Congress, Liu said: "As a developing
country, China lacks the experience of organizing major
international cultural and sports meets.
"We should be calm and composed and devote our energy to develop
the hardware and software environment further," he said.
With just about 550 days left for the Games, Liu said, Beijing
will work harder to improve the areas and services around the
competition venues, he said. To achieve a scientific, green and
people-centered Games, Beijing will promote technical innovation
and expedite the changes needed in its industrial structure.
The city will beautify the environment, plant more trees and
build an economical and eco-friendly Olympic city with more
pollution-control measures.
Transport, food and drug safety, saving energy and resources and
servicing and managing the floating population are the areas of
focus.
The success of the Olympics depends on the amount of interest
people have in projecting the country to the outside world, he
said. Solving public problems and collecting the community's views
on how to make the Games a grand success will be the highlights of
the preparations.
Liu said the city would tighten security for the Olympics by
strengthening its supervision and inspection measures. "A
high-standard Olympics requires us to improve our city and our
image by being more courteous and exhibiting more hygienic habits
in a short period of time."
The capital has begun five campaigns, including one with a
slogan: "I participate, I contribute and I am happy". Liu has urged
people, especially representatives to the Games to instil a sense
of mission and responsibility among the public.
"We are representing the whole nation. Only the active
participation of all our people can make this mission
possible."
(China Daily February 1, 2007)