The Beijing municipal government's primary task this year is preparing for the 2008 Olympic Games, said mayor Wang Qishan on Friday.

Wang made the remarks while delivering his work report during the Beijing people's congress.

"With 560 days to go before the Olympics ...the preparation work should not slack off," Wang said, adding that "2007 is the decisive year for the preparations for the Olympic Games."

He said Beijing would complete the construction of 30 competition venues, 45 training venues, five related facilities and the roads around all the venues.

Beijing will also start a series of infrastructure, sightseeing and landscape engineering projects this year, the mayor said adding the city would foster a good environment for the Olympic Games.

Beijing will also introduce new legislation and regulations relating to the Olympic Games, said the Mayor. The city will also work with the Olympic organizing committee to recruit, train volunteers and improve the city's image.

The city will also promote a new code of conduct to help Beijingers develop more cultured mannerisms and to teach more residents how to speak English.

Earlier this month, the municipal transportation committee said Beijing would repair more than 40 main roads and construct 27 arterial roads and nine expressways this year in preparation for games.

The Chinese capital will also invest 870 million yuan (US$111.5 million) to repair and renovate the city's main east-west artery Chang'an Avenue.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2007)