South China's financial city of Shenzhen announced it would represent China in its bid to host the 26th Summer Universiade in 2011. The announcement was made at a high-profile press briefing on Tuesday.

"After 25 years of development, Shenzhen has the capability in terms of wealth and comprehensive strength to host this significant international event," Shenzhen Mayor Xu Zongheng said.

"We will carefully evaluate the difficulties and develop the perfect plan to make sure that we win," Xu added.

The city will be among the first to officially submit their applications to the International University Sports Federation in October.

The deadline for submission of applications is June 30, 2006. Candidate cities will make their full statement bids in Torino, Italy, in January 2007.

Shenzhen has formed a 50-strong executive committee, composed of high-ranking officials from every major government department, for the bid process, said Li Changgong, deputy director of the Shenzhen Education Bureau, and also head of the executive committee.

If Shenzhen's bid is successful, a two-phase preparation process will kick into gear. In the first phase, about 5 billion yuan (US$600 million) will be injected into constructing and improving sports venues, including the main venue for the opening and closing ceremonies.

The government has allocated a plot of 13.4 square kilometers in suburban Longgang District for a new sports zone, which will be used for the Universiade.

In the center of the new zone will be the Olympic Center, which will include the main venue, a stadium with a 60,000 capacity, a gymnasium that fits 18,000, a water sports center, a training center and residential quarters for athletes.

"We hope to work with private investors the construction of residential quarters for athletes," said Cai Mingyuan, director of the sports bureau.

Shenzhen is one of the country's more affluent cities. Last year, its per capita gross domestic product (GDP) exceeded 57,935 yuan (US$7,000). The country's average is 37,906 yuan (US$4,580).

(China Daily July 13, 2005)