Zhang Mao, vice mayor of Beijing, who is in charge of the project, said the replacement of signs is part of systematic work to assure -- thanks to easy communication with Chinese people -- that all foreign visitors as well as foreign athletes for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games feel at home in China.

At the first meeting of the Citizens Speaking Foreign Languages Committee on Wednesday, members said the task is not only to phase out “Chinglish” but to assist Beijing’s efforts to become an international city. Also planned: Chinese-English bilingual signboards at bus stops, English-language announcements on buses about each stop for bus passengers, even a device in taxicabs to explain fees and other information.

Besides assuring convenient services for foreign visitors, the language committee wants to encourage a good English-learning atmosphere among people in Beijing where it is reported that some 600,000 citizens are enthusiastically participating in "Speaking English" activities in various ways.

The municipal government expects to create more opportunities for citizens to speak English, through English-speaking competitions, for example. In addition, a hotline telephone number -- 68700606 -- has been set up to provide citizens with information about English learning, websites on Citizens’ Speaking English are under construction, and English columns are showing up in various kinds of newspapers and periodicals in China.

Many activities to encourage Beijing citizens to speak English made their debut a year ago. Since that time it’s estimated that some 1500 taxi drivers in Beijing can speak English, and more than 2,500 bus attendants have a good command of English as needed for bus passengers. Beijing’s 40,000 policemen have been provided a brochure on English related to law enforcement.

(北京晨报 [Beijing Morning Post] April 11, 2002, translated by Feng Shu for China.org.cn)