The number of applications to work as a volunteer at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has exceeded 350,000 since the recruitment program began in August last year, according to the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG).

 

By the end of February, the number of applications from Beijingers had topped 250,000, including more than 180,000 university students, and that of applications from outside the Chinese capital is close to 100,000, BOCOG said.

 

The BOCOG plans to enlist a total of 70,000 volunteers for the 2008 Olympics and 30,000 for the ensuing Paralympics.

 

Another round of recruitment would be launched later this month to receive applicants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, which will be followed with recruitment for the wider world.

 

BOCOG executive vice president Li Binghua said in January that the first batch of the volunteers will be selected before August and they will start working during this year's test events.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2007)