It was announced by the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Bid Committee (BOBICO) that the residents in Beijing will have a chance to see how the city is modernizing itself with high-tech means. Among a series of activities will be the Beijing International High-tech Week to be held in May.
BOBICO Vice President Jiang Xiaoyu made the remarks at a press conference on April 30. He also released that his committee will sponsor a rich array of activities to highlight the theme of "High-tech Olympics" that Beijing has promised.
Jiang said that the idea of "High-tech Olympics" should be approached from following three aspects:
First, it will feature modern stadium facilities. Such high technologies as digital broadband communications and electronic information technology will be used to modernize stadiums and gymnasiums. Energy and water saving technologies as well as solar energy technology will be widely applied. In addition, new building materials and advanced electronic information processing system will be employed in constructing the facilities.
If Beijing is to host the quadrennial event, Jiang said, each seat of the press gallery will be equipped with a computer logged on Internet for journalists to transmit their stories and search for information.
Second, the idea of "High-tech Olympics" will be realized by adopting modern information and communication technology. Beijing has promised to provide live broadcast of the 2008 Olympic Games through TV and broadband Internet. In the meantime, each room of the Olympic Journalists' Village will be equipped with advanced interactive network facilities.
According to Jiang, by the time the Olympic Games is held in 2008, Beijing TV audience may use the latest video-frequency requesting and digital TV broadcasting technology to choose, through their household digital visual telecommunication system, among different programs without missing the exciting items. And they will not have to spend more buying the expensive digital TV set.
Third, Beijing will make full use of its advantage in high-tech human resources to serve the Olympic Games and the modernization of the city. It is the focus of attention of BOBICO as well as the municipal authorities at present and in future. In the coming several years, Beijing will enlarge appropriation to improve its traffic system, and upgrade the level of traffic administration. It is hoped that the advancement of science and technology will help Beijing to catch up with other modern cities in the world in traffic control and environmental protection so as to lay a solid foundation for the overall development of the city.
Jiang said that Beijing will host following major events in May:
This first one was the "New Beijing, Great Olympics" concert, which was held at the Workers' Stadium in the evening of May 1. It gathered a large number of excellent singers from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
The Fourth China Beijing International High-tech Week and China Beijing International Science and Technology Fair will be held on May 10-15. Sixty-nine overseas government or business delegations involving more than 1,300 guests from 50-odd countries and regions will attend the event. During the fair, a specially designed booth for Olympic bid will display Beijing's scientific and technological achievements in the sports field, including sports goods and high-tech stadium facilities. BOBICO has reserved a some-200-square-meter booth in the International Exhibition Center.
A painting exhibition tour entitled "New Image--Contemporary Chinese Paintings over the Past Two Decades" will be unfolded in the China National Art Gallery on May 22-27. The works by a dozen noted contemporary Chinese painters will be on display to show the charm of Chinese culture as well Chinese people's understanding of and persistent pursuit for the Olympic spirits.
The Beijing Science and Technology Week 2001 is scheduled on May 15-22. To enhance the theme of "Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics," the event will be carried out under the theme of "science, civilization and Olympic bid."
The second "Meet in Beijing" Arts Festival, jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and the Beijing municipal government has drawn its certain in Beijing. The festival, featuring 56 performances by art troupes from 28 countries, aims to let the world learn more about Chinese people and culture.
(www.china.org.cn by Zheng Wenhua 05/02/2001)
