The three parks in downtown Beijing designated as demonstration zones during the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics will cease function upon the ending of both Games, a senior official with the Games organizing committee said on Wednesday.
"In future, relevant departments will continue to accept and handle demonstration applications in accordance with China's law on assemblies, processions and demonstrations as well as the law's implementation methods," said Liu Shaowu, director of the security department under the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG).
The three parks, namely the Zizhuyuan Park, Ritan Park and World Park, were approved to serve as demonstration areas during the two Games in accordance with the requirement of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the common practice of other host cities of major international events, said Liu.
"During the Games, relevant departments received a number of demonstration applications from home and abroad. Except for very few cases that were not allowed by Chinese laws, all applications aimed at the settlement of some specific problems and issues," said the official.
Through consultations between relevant authorities and the applicants, all the problems and issues were handled and settled properly, and the applicants withdrew their applications voluntarily, he added.
Commenting on the Games' security work, Liu said his department had worked hard with efficiency over the past seven years to ensure the safety and success of both Games.
Since its establishment, the department has played a key role in the Games' overall security planning and policy-making, the design of security operations at the Games venues, and the development of high-tech security systems including the electronic ticket verification system, said the director.
It has also coordinated accreditation management and international exchange and cooperation, and facilitated security information collection, precautions against terror and riots, as well as security guarantee for the VIPs, the torch relays and the Internet, said Liu.
The department has also recruited and trained security volunteers for the Games, and conducted security drills during the test events before the Games, he added.
He revealed that the Beijing 2008 Games have applied many high-tech security systems and facilities, such as the venue security control system, electronic ticket and card verification system, communications guarantee system, monitoring system, counterterror and riot-prevention system, and the security screening facilities.
And the planning, design, installation and application of these first-class systems and facilities have kept pace with the design and construction of all Games venues, to avoid incompatibility and ineffectiveness, he noted.
While a huge number of security checks were carried out on personnel and vehicles during the two Games, there was no report of security incidents caused by negligence of the security staff, said Liu.
And thanks to the understanding, cooperation and support of the general public, the security checks have been conducted in a smooth manner and in a harmonious atmosphere, he stressed.
International cooperation also helped a lot in the security work of the Beijing 2008 Games, according to Liu.
The BOCOG security department has attached great importance to drawing experience from the hosts of the previous Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, and has engaged in broad exchange and cooperation with its counterparts worldwide, said Liu.
Meanwhile, Chinese security departments have cooperated with information and law enforcement departments in relevant countries, to effectively prevent and strike on various sabotage activities aimed to harm the security of the Games, he noted.
Such cooperation and exchange have helped enhance mutual understanding between Chinese security departments and their foreign counterparts, and created a mode of international security cooperation that can be referred to in major international activities in the future, he added.
