The iconic "Bird's Nest" National Stadium, the main venue for Olympic events, is expected to be completed in May, a Beijing Municipal Construction Committee spokesman said on Saturday.

The stadium would undergo tests of its equipment and performance stage for the opening ceremony. Also, lawn areas would be sodded during March. The whole project would be completed in May, said the spokesman.

The Olympic National Park, China National Convention Center, Olympic village and Olympic media village would also be completed in March and April.

These projects are part of Beijing's overall construction plan, which includes 127 projects, 53 to be completed this year, the spokesman said. He didn't give a schedule for the other projects.

All key projects on the list relate to the Olympics or to transportation, environmental protection, residents' livelihood, modern industries and energy resources.

The "Bird's Nest" has the world's most advanced screening and omni-directional systems and mobile seating. It will be used for large sports events, conventional competitions and non-competitive events as well as to provide wide-ranging entertainment and sporting facilities to residents after the Games. The Games are to run from Aug. 8-24.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2008)