Thirty million flower pots will brighten the streets, hotel reception areas, Olympic venues and scenic spots of Beijing in the lead-up to the Olympics. The new scheme to beautify the capital city will create a "floral belt" with a total area of 630,000 square meters.

 

Director of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Parks and Woods, Dong Ruilong, spoke at a special ceremony to launch a series of activities aimed at beautifying Beijing Saturday.

 

He said the city will plant a wide range of flowers in innovative arrangements, like terraces, belts and balls. The floral displays will brighten the urban environment and promote a healthy lifestyle.

 

The activities aim to cover 10 percent of the lawns at important Olympic venues with flowers by the end of this year.

 

Dong Ruilong also said the government plants to plant quality seedlings and trees in the Olympic Forest Park and other key venues. The plants for the Olympic Center will be 15 to 20 centimeters tall. Trees with also be planted elsewhere in other areas to give the city a face-lift.

 

The government will focus on increasing the green coverage in more than 100 roads in 2007, including Chang'an Avenue, the Fourth Ring Road and the Capital Airport expressway.

 

(CRI April 23, 2007)