An official from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) announced last Wednesday that Qingdao will speed up construction work for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Regatta.

Chen Jingxin, assistant chairman of the BOCOG's Sailing Subcommittee, was speaking after summarizing last year's work for the event.

According to Chen, Qingdao's Action Plan is based on a four-step strategy:

July 2001 to December 2003 -- to devise the Action Plan and design the layout of the Olympics Sailing Regatta Base (completed).

January 2004 to June 2006 -- the chief construction period for all venues and facilities. Currently, Qingdao is going all out to finish the principal part of the base by the end of the year, and the whole project is on schedule for completion in first six months of 2006.

July 2006 to July 2008 -- the testing and improvement period. Trials and necessary adjustments will be completed to guarantee normal operations, including an Olympic Test Regatta.

August 2008 -- the actual hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic sailing regattas.

This year is the key one for construction of the International Sailing Center and related facilities, said Chen, "Hosting the regatta is a very new undertaking. Although the preparations made have been affirmed by the International Olympic Committee and the BOCOG, Qingdao still has a lot of work to do. We will make unremitting efforts in the next four years."

The work this year will focus on building world-class venues, improving the city's infrastructure and increasing local people's awareness of the cultures of expected visitors.

(China.org.cn by Wang Qian, February 1, 2005)