Beijing police will step up English training so that emergency calls can be dealt with in English next year as part of the preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

 

Taking a leaf from Shanghai's book, the 110 emergency call center will recruit foreign teachers to carry out the training, said the Beijing Public Security Bureau on Wednesday.

 

Shanghai is expanding its talent pool of foreign language speakers to be better able to answer emergency calls from the city's growing number of foreigners.

 

According to Beijing authorities, ordinary policemen should be able to answer questions about roads and shops and provide help in English to foreigners in 2008, the bureau said.

 

Currently, emergency calls from foreigners account for a small percentage of the total, but it is urgent for police to improve English as the 2008 Olympics draws near, it said.

 

Beijing's 110 emergency service received a total of 3.6 million calls last year.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2007)