Beijing's Olympics will not be shrouded in smog or choked by
traffic jams, the city's top Games official promised yesterday.
With the two-year countdown to the 2008 Games beginning
tomorrow, Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for
the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), said he was confident air
pollution and traffic jams would be tackled in time for the opening
ceremony.
"The problems that exist in Beijing, such as traffic jams and
environmental pollution, are things we have to solve, whether we
are hosting the Olympics or not," said Liu, who is also secretary
of the Party's Beijing municipal committee.
"Preparing for the Games should allow us to bring solutions to
these problems ahead of schedule."
Beijing has made great steps in improving the air quality in
recent years and the situation is getting better and better, said
Liu.
Statistics show the number of "blue sky" days last year days
when the air quality reached Grade II or better accounted for 64
percent of the year. This year's goal is 65 percent, or 238
days.
In April the city was battered by frequent sand storms, leading
to doubt the target number of "blue sky" days would be reached.
But despite the harsh spring, Liu remains confident.
"Due to the sand storms, we were 10 days down on last year's
total number of 'blue sky' days," he said. "But almost every day in
July qualified so we've regained seven days."
After the sand storms, all the more than 9,000 construction
sites in Beijing improved their management, and today all
construction site's sand mounds are covered to avoid dust getting
caught by the wind, according to Liu.
"With these measures, I'm confident of reaching our goal of 238
'blue sky' days this year," he said.
Liu also revealed other measures being taken to reduce pollution
in the city. For example, besides moving the Beijing Shougang
Company's steel works out of the city in February, the Beijing
Coking Plant, which was founded in the southeastern part of Beijing
in 1958, also stopped production last month.
According to Liu, the city's industrial structure has been
readjusted, with industrial production now only accounting for
around 20 percent of the capital's economy.
"In addition, we have taken great steps in improving the energy
sources structure using clean energy sources like electricity and
natural gas," he said.
As for automobile emissions, Beijing has adopted emission
standards equivalent to the European III Emission Standard, and
will even use the European IV standard in the future, Liu said.
"Although we have a large amount of vehicles, the emission
standards could reach international levels," he added.
No more jams
Liu also promised effective measures to solve the city's traffic
jams, ensuring a convenient Games in 2008.
Government and BOCOG transport departments have carried out a
detailed research into the number of people expected for the Games,
said Liu.
It is estimated that during the Games there will be around
500,000 foreign visitors in Beijing with around 200,000 to 240,000
at the Olympic Green, at the center of the Games venues.
Measures will be taken to provide efficient transport services
for such a large amount of people, said Liu.
"Infrastructure projects will be accelerated, such as the
building of four subway lines the airport subway, the Olympic
subway line and subways No 5 and No 10," said Liu.
"We will also open more express public transport routes and set
up more transport hubs across the city," he added.
Temporary traffic controls will also be in force during the
Games.
"Learning from other Olympic host cities, we will designate
special transport routes for the Games and enforce extra traffic
controls," said Liu.
"We will also modernize the transport management network."
With only two years to go before the Games open, Liu is full of
confidence. "I believe that through all these efforts, we will
ensure convenient transport services during the Games," he
said.
(China Daily August 7, 2006)