Beijing will tighten the supervision over preparations of the 2008 Olympics to prevent corruption, senior Beijing official said.

Ma Zhipeng, secretary of the Beijing Commission for Discipline Inspection said at a meeting on supervision over the Olympic venue construction projects that the discipline inspection departments at all levels should strengthen the monitoring work.

"We should try our best, using every method and mobilizing the manpower as possible as we can to supervise the preparatory work," said Ma, who is also a standing committee member of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

The Chinese capital has promised to host a "clean" Olympics as Liu Qi, secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) vowed to tighten anti-corruption efforts on the preparations for the Games last year.

Liu, who is also chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics, was speaking following an announcement by the CCDI of the expulsion of former Beijing Vice Mayor Liu Zhihua from the Party.

Liu Zhihua, who had also been dismissed from all administrative posts, was found to have taken millions of yuan in bribes by taking advantage of his official position.

Liu Zhihua was elected vice mayor in 1999 in charge of overseeing construction, real estate, sports and traffic projects in the capital.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2007)