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On the first day of a four-day inspection by the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission, Beijing vows to make
a massive investment of more than US$20 billion in its infrastructure
project to facilitate its bid for the 2008 Olympic Games.
It will be one of the largest construction projects ever in China
since the construction of the Great Wall, which dated back some
2000 years ago, the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bidding Committee
(BOBICO) said.
Under the plan, Beijing will triple the length of its expressway
networks, expand and upgrade its public transport system and build
dozens of competition and training venues by 2008.
Regardless of the outcome of its Olympic bid, the Beijing's municipal
government is already committed to expanding its expressway network
from 216 kilometers to more than 700km by 2008.
Construction of additional ring roads and other expressways will
directly link every satellite town with a population over 50,000
in metropolitan Beijing, according to BOBICO.
In public transportation, a 40.85km addition to Beijing's existing
53.7km subway line is slated to open by the end of 2002.
By 2008, Beijing's subway and light rail system will encompass
140km and will link central Beijing to the Olympic Park now under
development on the city's northern outskirts.
The Olympic Park, the cornerstone of Beijing's commitment, provides
37 competition and 59 training venues for 28 sports during the 2008
Olympic Games. Thirteen of the competition venues have already been
completed, another 11 are under construction or in the planning
stages and the construction of eight more will proceed if Beijing
wins the hosting right.
"These investment will not only ensure that Beijing's readiness
and infrastructure to host the 2008 Games are second to none, but
also permanently improve the quality of life of Beijing's 12 million
residents, " said Liu Jingmin, Vice Mayor of Beijing and spokesman
for BOBICO.
The IOC evaluation commission will prepare an assessment report
on the five bidding cities also including Toronto, Istanbul, Paris
and Osaka after their inspection tour. Their findings are believed
to play a major role in IOC's final decision on July 13 on the Games
venue.
(People's Daily 02/22/01)
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