In an effort to make buses in the Chinese capital a more courteous experience, ahead of the Olympics, passengers who offer their seats for others will be rewarded.

Beijing Public Transport Holdings Ltd, which operates more than 24,000 buses in the capital, will choose 'star passengers' who offer their seats to the elderly, handicapped, pregnant and women with young children.

The bus company also plans to use mobile TV installed in more than 4,000 buses as a platform to promote courteous behavior. The number of buses equipped with mobile TV will increase to 7,000 by the end of the year, the company said.

Buses in Chinese cities often have signs that read: 'Please offer seats to the elderly, the handicapped, the pregnant and women with young children.' There are usually a few seats set aside for this purpose.

Chinese are brought up to 'respect the elderly and take care of the young'. These precepts are part of social etiquette.

However, as China develops, some young people have become more self-centered and simply ignore people who need seats when they get on a bus or subway train.

With the 2008 Olympic Games only two years away, concerns about behavior are frequently raised -- rude behavior such as spitting, queue-jumping and littering has made headlines recently.

To address the issue, Beijing's government this year distributed 1.5 million copies of 'A General Textbook on Civility and Propriety', which is aimed at teaching people good manners.

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2006)