On Tuesday it was pledged by Liu Qi, secretary of the Chinese Communist Party's Beijing Municipal Committee, that the 2008 Olympic Games would be special and of the highest level.

At a press conference, Liu, who is also the chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics, gave a review of the progress the city had made in its preparations for the event.

Liu elaborated on the concepts of the "Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics" which are the guidelines devised by Beijing to prepare for the huge sporting occasion.   

With the Olympiad just over 600 days away, preparations are proceeding well and on schedule, Liu said. The construction of 37 venues and facilities was expected to be completed by the end of next year, Liu explained. 

At the same time Beijing, with a population of 15 million, was also stepping up preparations for the Olympics in terms of accommodation, catering and volunteer recruitment, Liu said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2006)