Center

Convenient, clean city promised for Games

By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-08-07 08:54

"With these measures, I'm confident of reaching our goal of 238 'blue sky' days this year," he said.

Liu also revealed other measures being taken to reduce pollution in the city. For example, besides moving the Beijing Shougang Company's steel works out of the city in February, the Beijing Coking Plant, which was founded in the southeastern part of Beijing in 1958, also stopped production last month.

According to Liu, the city's industrial structure has been readjusted, with industrial production now only accounting for around 20 per cent of the capital's economy.

"In addition, we have taken great steps in improving the energy sources structure using clean energy sources like electricity and natural gas," he said.

As for automobile emissions, Beijing has adopted emission standards equivalent to the European III Emission Standard, and will even use the European IV standard in the future, Liu said. "Although we have a large amount of vehicles, the emission standards could reach international levels," he added.

No more jams

Liu also promised effective measures to solve the city's traffic jams, ensuring a convenient Games in 2008.

Government and BOCOG transport departments have carried out a detailed research into the number of people expected for the Games, said Liu.

It is estimated that during the Games there will be around 500,000 foreign visitors in Beijing with around 200,000 to 240,000 at the Olympic Green, at the centre of the Games venues.

Measures will be taken to provide efficient transport services for such a large amount of people, said Liu.

"Infrastructure projects will be accelerated, such as the building of four subway lines the airport subway, the Olympic subway line and subways No 5 and No 10," said Liu.

"We will also open more express public transport routes and set up more transport hubs across the city," he added.

Temporary traffic controls will also be in force during the Games.

"Learning from other Olympic host cities, we will designate special transport routes for the Games and enforce extra traffic controls," said Liu.

"We will also modernize the transport management network."

With only two years to go before the Games open, Liu is full of confidence. "I believe that through all these efforts, we will ensure convenient transport services during the Games," he said.