Bank of China (BOC), the banking partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, said it has refined and improved many of its facilities and services for the upcoming competition.

"The bank has opened more branches and outlets, improved bank account and foreign currency exchange services, set up consumer service centers which provide services in multiple languages and opened green channel for the Olympics," Li Lihui, president of the bank said at a briefing yesterday in Beijing.

The bank now has 283 outlets in Beijing, with 26 of them located near the Olympic venues. It has established four temporary outlets within the Olympic Village, Media Village and other Olympic venues. It has also renovated some outlets to provide barrier-free facilities for the disabled.

The bank has 430 ATMs in Beijing and plans to set up 290 more for overseas card holders before the Games start. Within the Olympic area, the bank will provide 24 fixed ATMs and over 2,500 POS terminals, it said.

Currency exchange services have also been improved. Currently more than 9,000 outlets were qualified to offer exchange services. Among them, 773 are located in areas near to where the Games will be held.

"We will also offer currency exchange services in 72 hotels and simplify the exchange procedure," said Yue Yi, general manager of personal banking at BOC.

Presenting valid identification documents and completing exchange memos, costumers can change 17 different currencies with the services from BOC, he said.

Its currency exchange counter at the Beijing Capital International Airport can offer services in seven languages including Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese.

The bank also refined its cash services. Customers can withdraw 17 kinds of currencies at service counters of the bank. During the Olympic Games, some subsidiaries at or near Olympic venues will extend their business hours to midnight.

Bank account services have also been improved with some institutions allowed to open temporary accounts.

The bank has also updated its customer service center with its hotline offer services in multiple languages in Chinese, English, French and Spanish.

"The bank has also strengthened coordination with police to fight illegal use of credit cards, printing or using counterfeit currencies and illegal foreign exchange transactions," Yue said.

"We are confident in providing a good service for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Serving the Games will help us to catch up with international standards, improve its products and services, raise its service quality and management level," Li said.

(China Daily July 24, 2008)