CHINA: OLYMPICS - 50 days to Beijing Olympics and smog is still there but city is ready for the Games

Record ID: 329788

  • Title: CHINA: OLYMPICS - 50 days to Beijing Olympics and smog is still there but city is ready for the Games
  • Date: 20th June 2008
  • Summary: EXTERIOR OF BEIJING TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTRE LARGE VIDEO SCREEN INSIDE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CENTRE VIDEO SCREEN SHOWING FOOTAGE FROM VARIOUS TRAFFIC CAMERAS WORKERS MONITORING TRAFFIC FROM VIDEO SCREEN
  • Embargoed: 5th July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Environment / Natural World,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAF18PYJD16S7AXGXSI4I7X1VUQ
  • Story Text: With 50 days to go to the Olympics and Beijing saying it's ready for the Games, the iconic Bird's Nest stadium could barely be seen through the smog.
    Fifty days before the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, the city was again shrouded in smog on Thursday (June 19) in a graphic reminder of how much remains to be done.
    While the Bird's Nest National Stadium was almost hidden by pollution, the Chinese authorities were underlining their efforts to reduce smog before the Games.
    Beijing has hired a panel of foreign environmental experts to lend credibility to its pollution monitoring and forecasts during the Games, state media reported. It is the first time foreigners have joined the Chinese capital's fight to improve air quality.
    Enviromental experts have in the past cast doubts on Beijing's claims of improvement in air quality, particularly the much-vaunted 'blue sky days' tally by which the authorities measure the improvement.
    Beijing has spent 140 billion yuan ($20.34 billion) on environmental improvements over the past decade, shutting down heavily polluting factories, switching tens of thousands of homes from oil to gas heating and imposing higher emission standards on vehicles. The problem persists, however, particularly when there is no wind as was the case on Thursday.
    The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it might reschedule endurance events such as the marathon to prevent health risks to athletes competing for more than an hour.
    Otherwise the host city of the 2008 Summer Games says it is ready for the world's biggest sporting event.
    The main venues, The National Stadium, also known as 'Bird's Nest' and the Aquatic Centre, or 'Water Cube', were finished behind schedule, but have already hosted various test events.
    Workers are now adding final touches to the buildings and the Olympic park, which state media says will open to the public between July 1-5.
    Security near the Olympic park is tight and as large crowds flock to the area to catch a glimpse of the modern architecture or photograph themselves in front of the Olympic buildings, security guards keep a close eye on all movement in the area.
    Speaking to journalists earlier in the week, Sun Weide, the deputy director of media at the Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG), said that apart from some fine-tuning, the city was ready for the August 8 start.
    "I would say I think we are basically ready to host a successful Olympic Games. Of course as we are getting closer to Beijing Olympic Games we have to put the final touches and maybe a number of refining and final tunings," he said.
    The capital's international airport recently opened a new, third terminal to accommodate the expected foreign visitors. An airport shuttle train linking the terminals to central Beijing is still under construction and builders at the site are working around the clock to complete the line before August.
    Beijing's subway system has also been extended and a previous two-line system is planned to be tripled ahead of the Games.
    While some of the new subway lines are already in use and passengers are getting acquainted with electronic tickets, vending machines and barriers, the lines running to the Olympic venues are currently running tests and are expected to open to public later in July.
    Chinese media report that the Summer Games will likely run up a bill of more than 20 billion dollars (USD), making them the most expensive to date.
    Beijing wants to use the Olympics to showcase half a century of development, but while the Chinese often say that the country has world-class 'hardware' -- such as bridges and buildings -- it still needs to improve 'software' -- services and efficiency.
    The authorities have launched a string of initiatives to improve the manners of the 14 million inhabitants of the Chinese capital, including a series of etiquette booklets and the deployment of ;civility supervisors; on the streets.
    While most locals are happy with the changes in the city, there is still room for improvement, some say.
    Beijing resident Yang Chun said he thought the city was ready for the Games but hoped its infamous traffic jams would ease before the foreign visitors arrived.
    "The flow of traffic. The traffic flow could still be improved a lot," said Yang Chun.
    Jing Yi thought the government's campaigns had worked and the locals' behaviour had improved ahead of the Olympics.
    "I think there are big improvements. It seems that in the streets there's a lot less shouting," said Jing Yi.
    Standing in straight lines, with improved manners, Beijing residents now seem to be eagerly anticipating the big event.
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