China is encouraging volunteer service in its communities and expecting to have a participation rate of 8 percent in 2008, up from currently 3 percent, an official in charge of community work said.

"Compared with developed countries, where 30 to 40 percent of citizens have volunteer service records, China has to improve, especially as the country is preparing for the 2008 Olympic Games, " said Ma Xueli, vice chairman of China Association of Social Workers (CASW).

The association started registration of volunteers on Saturday, to standardize the volunteer work across the country by improving supervision and rewards to volunteers.

The volunteer community service ranges from aiding the poor, helping elders and handicapped, conducting environmental protection activities to delivering various classes to residents.

"It could be any help that meet people's needs," said Cao Zhengguang, a staff with CASW.

"Volunteer community service could help to draw people closer as many Chinese feel distance among people is widening when China's market economy is booming," said Li Chunli, an employee at Tianqiao subdistrict office in southeastern Beijing.

By Saturday morning, Tianqiao subdistrict had registered 1,513 volunteers, and the number was still rising.

China started volunteer community service in 1989. To date, there are about 75,000 community volunteer organizations with 16 million members throughout the country, according to CASW.

During the summer Olympics and the Paralympics in 2008, Beijing needs a record number of 120,000 volunteers: 100,000 as frontline workers and at least 20,000 as a reserve force.

Beijing announced that the sweet smile of its Olympic Volunteers will be its best name card.

Earlier this year, the State Council issued a document on boosting China's public service system, especially the community service, as a supplement of the social security system.

(Xinhua News Agency June 27, 2006)