During Beijing's preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games, the style and features view of the fast-developing city famous for its long history and culture will be well protected, newly-elected Beijing mayor Meng Xuenong said in Beijing on Sunday.
Meng said at a press conference that in 2008, Beijing will welcome the guests from all over the world with its unique sight of the Chinese culture.
"Any world-class ancient city faces the dilemma of modernizing development and cultural protection. Beijing has worked out a three-level integrated protecting plan for the city, namely, the protection for the overall outlook of the ancient city, 40 key cultural relics and others." he said.
"More efforts will be taken in this regard," he added.
Liu Jingmin, vice mayor of Beijing and vice chairman of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, said at the press conference: "In the process of Beijing's development, the municipal government did, do and will attach much importance to the protection of the ancient city's cultural heritage. A comprehensive scheme was made last year and 40 key areas for protection were defined."
"In the past three years, the municipal government earmarked 330 million Chinese Yuan (about US$40 million) for the protection of the cultural relics and more financial injection is expected in the future." he noted.
(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2003)
