Beijing Olympics Seek Balance between New and Old

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 29, 2002

Beijing Olympics Seek Balance between New and Old

Beijing's construction program for the 2008 summer Olympic Games will not mar the city's historical look. Some related regulations have already been put in place in the city with a history of more than three thousand years. This suggested that protection of the historical sites and relics has been put on a legalized basis.

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Beijing's historical look not to be marred

Beijing's construction program for the 2008 summer Olympic Games will not mar the city's historical look, officials said on Thursday.

Liu Qi, mayor of Beijing and president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the 29th Olympiad (BOCOG), said at a press conference Thursday that Beijing is trying its best to preserve the city's historic and cultural sites, and buildings and relics although it needs a great amount of infrastructure projects to get ready for the Games.

Related regulations made debut

Liu told reporters that some related regulations have already been put in place in the city with a history of more than three thousand years. "This suggested that protection of the historical sites and relics has been put on a legalized basis," said Liu.

Shan Jixiang, director of Beijing's municipal planning commission, said that the city has already spent some 330 million RMB yuan (about 39.76 million US dollars) within the past three years, in projects for protecting and renovating more than 100 historical and cultural sites.

The upcoming renovation of the Forbidden City will cost 700 million RMB yuan (about 84.34 million US dollars), a greatest input since 1911, he added.

Shan admitted that quite a number of Siheyuan, Beijing's traditional-style houses, are going to vanish since they are too old to accommodate people.

But Beijing is trying to preserve a certain percentage of such buildings through careful renovation, Shan added.

China Embraces 2008 Olympics

Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) has expressed its wishes that they will closely work together with the Olympic family and build on experiences of the previous host cities to ensure a successful games in 2008.

Beijing plans to spend 3.4 billion US dollars on sport venues and other related facilities for the 2008 summer Olympic Games.

Keeping to its commitment to staging a best ever Olympics, Beijing organisers has come up with a comprehensive and systematic plan to guide the preparation work for the 2008 Games.

Features: China Embraces 2008 Olympics

Officail Website: New Beijing Great Olympics

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