Beijing to Speed up Modernization for 2008 OlympicsBeijing will speed up its reform, opening up and modernization drive in a bid to develop into an international metropolis by 2008, when it will host the Olympic Games.In a meeting Friday on Beijing's economic situation in the January-June period, Jia Qinglin, secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, said Beijing's successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games offers a historic opportunity for the city to prosper and present itself to the whole world. "The successful bid marks the beginning of our preparations," said Jia. "We must face up to our commitments to the International Olympic Committee and the international community, and there is a great deal of detailed and arduous work for us to do." Beijing's Mayor Liu Qi told the meeting that Beijing must improve its environment, step up infrastructure construction, improve cultural and ethical work and encourage the development of sports-related industries. Meanwhile, Liu stressed that Beijing has to control population growth, protect land and water resources as well as cultural relics in its urban construction and renovation. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |