Beijing police launched a campaign on Wednesday to eradicate illegal activities in the Tian’anmen Square and along the Chang'an Avenue in the city's run-up to the Olympic Games.

Beggars, unlicensed peddlers, flyer distributors and illegal motorcycle and tricycle taxi riders will be fined or detained or have their equipment confiscated once detected by police in the square or along the east-west artery.

Police from the six urban districts of Dongcheng, Xicheng, Chongwen, Xuanwu, Chaoyang and Haidian will jointly patrol in the areas round the clock beginning Wednesday, Yu Hongyuan, deputy director with the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, said at the launching ceremony of the move.

The campaign is aimed at uprooting illegal activities that tarnish the city's image and affect the social order and to build up a "harmonious, civilized and sound" urban environment for the Olympic Games to be held here in August, said Yu.

(Xinhua News Agency January 3, 2008)