A report from Beijing Star Daily describes an index on the quality of citizens' behavior, released Wednesday. According to the index, behavior has improved by 3.85 points since the end of 2005.

The index is the conclusion of two sets of research results: a two year social survey targeting 10,000 Beijing citizens and 1000 foreigners who had lived in the city for more than two years, the other, a 1700 hour observation of 200,000 people and 180,000 auto vehicles in 320 public places in the city.

Conducted by Renmin University, the public civilization index comprises five criteria: public health, public order, public action, public viewing, and public participants.

Results for public health and public order rose 8.09 and 8 points respectively, since 2005, while the other three registered little improvement.

Sha Lianxiang, a professor from Renmin University, said the index is expected to reach as high as 72 to 78 points when the Olympics are held in 2008.

(CRI January 25, 2007)