President of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG) Liu Qi on Tuesday urged the host city to continue working hard to prepare for the Paralympics.

At a conference to review preparations for the Paralympic Games, Liu said the success of the Beijing Olympics would lend strength to everyone involved.

"In the last seven years, with assistance from the International Paralympic Committee and the world, we have been making steady progress in preparing to host the Paralympics. Our goal is to host a unique and high-standard Paralympics," he told the gathering.

"We should sum up and learn from the successful experience of hosting the Olympics, and do our utmost to accomplish the final preparations to ensure the Paralympics are as exciting and successful," he said.

Liu urged all departments to prepare well for the Paralympic torch relay and the Sept. 6 opening ceremony of the Paralympics, which run until Sept. 17.

The Paralympic flame is expected to be lit on Aug. 28 at the Temple of Heaven in downtown Beijing. The torch will travel to 10 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions on the Chinese mainland before returning to Beijing to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony.

The conference was chaired by State Councilor Liu Yandong and attended by BOCOG vice president Chen Zhili and BOCOG executive president Deng Pufang.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2008)