Cultural relics preservation, environmental protection and transparency are getting much attention as construction of venues for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games proceeds smoothly, the chief of construction announced yesterday.

The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics has prospected 1.1 million square meters in the construction of Olympic venues, Jin Yan, director of the Beijing 2008 Project Construction Headquarters Office, told a press conference.

More than 450 ancient tombs were found and relics are being reserved, Jin said.

Environmental protection has also been stressed as "various energy saving technologies were adopted in construction," Jin said. Renewable energies, such as solar energy and terrestrial heat, will be used at Olympic venues and facilities.

The Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium will start construction late this month. The foundation stone was laid for the Peking University Gymnasium on Saturday.

"Then all 11 new competition venues for the 2008 Olympic Games will be under construction," Jin said.

Of the 10 new competition venues now under construction, the National Stadium has entered the concrete structure stage, Jin said.

Work on the concrete structure of the National Aquatics Centre has been completed. Basic earthwork is being done at the Olympic Village.

"I am very confident that Beijing will complete construction of all venues and facilities on time, by 2007," Jin said.

Jin also emphasized that transparency was a major issue in such large-scale construction. He reported: "No corruption has been found so far."

(China Daily September 21, 2005)