Beijing has pledged to employ the most advanced technology at the 2008 Olympic Games, and security is listed as one of the key fields in which high-tech is to develop.
Lin Wenyi, vice-mayor of Beijing, promised to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s Coordination Committee, which is visiting Beijing from April 28 to May 1, that security in 2008 will be assured by high technology.
Security problems have been increasingly bothering big-scale sports events as the Olympic Games and soccer World Cup.
Beijing plans to develop new portable devices to detect explosive and dangerous articles, effective fire control system, safety appraisal system and emergency handling plan, commanding and supporting systems dealing with emergencies related to dangerous chemicals, and technologies for food safety control, said Lin, also a doctoral tutor in engineering physics at China's prestigious Tsinghua University.
The 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics cost the United States 310 million US dollars, and the upcoming South Korea-Japan World Cup soccer finals have been treated by the co-hosts with great care as the two countries are staging anti-terror maneuvers one after another.
(People's Daily April 29, 2002)