The Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission is seeking advisors to participate in promoting its Olympics projects.

The commission plans to work with 20 advisory organizations possessing expertise in a variety of areas. Two professionals with experience in promoting Olympics-related business will also be employed.

Ding Xiangyang, director of the commission, told China Daily that solicitations and selections will be conducted through a public bidding process. The commission has outlined the qualities it is seeking.

"We want them to share professional marketing techniques and experience in Olympics-related business operations," Ding said.

According to the commission, the sponsor and organizer for 2008 Olympic projects, organizations engaged in research, consultancy, accounting, law and investment are preferred.

"They will be responsible for providing project packaging, marketing designs, policy-making consultancy and policy research services for us, and both domestic and foreign institutes are welcomed," Ding said.

The commission will also employ two experts who have taken part in past Games to offer suggestions and proposals to the government. Ding declined to say how much they would get paid.

Between now and the time of the 2008 Olympics, Beijing will spend 1.5 trillion yuan (US$180.0 billion) on related projects.

Investment related to the event will exceed 280 billion yuan (US$33.7 billion).

The marketing of Olympics projects will be officially launched on April 18, when the commission will host a promotion fair.

"For several days after we held a press conference to announce the fair, the shares of several enterprises involved in Olympics projects rose swiftly," Ding said.

According to Ding, the share prices of China Sports Industry Co. Ltd., China Road & Bridge Construction Co. Ltd. and Sunshine Co. Ltd. all rose their 10 percent daily limits the day after the press conference.

China Road & Bridge has revealed that it expects sales to double in 2003 owing to its participation in constructing roads for the Games.

"During the fair, we will promote 370 Olympics projects with combined investment of around 100 billion yuan (US$12.1 billion)," Ding said.

The projects include infrastructure construction and renovation, real estate development, the building of stadiums and gyms, high-tech applications, environmental protection and tourism.

The promotion, bidding and operation of the projects will be carried out under a strict market-oriented model.

The commission has opened a website to provide detailed information about the projects to potential investors.

In addition, the site offers policy guidance, consultancy services and an explanation of law for non-Chinese businesses.

"We set up the platform to help investors clearly understand what they can do and how they can get the information they need conveniently and efficiently," Ding said.

"The website will become a permanent showcase for them to get all of Beijing's investment information.

"The Olympics offer a golden opportunity for Beijing to improve its economic structure, optimize its industrial layout and enhance its image."

One of the most notable changes in Beijing will be its transportation infrastructure.

The lengths of the metro subway and light rail lines will reach 300 km and expressways will stretch some 890 km by 2008, compared with the present 104 km and 300 km.

The municipal government will also spend as much as 40 billion yuan (US$4.8 billion) to upgrade the communications network in the city this year.

(China Daily March 18, 2004)