Beijing's preparatory work for the 2008 Olympic Games is advancing smoothly, said a senior official of the municipal government at the sports round-table meeting of the Ninth Fortune Global Forum on Monday.

Liu Jingmin, Beijing's vice mayor and also executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG), said that more home and overseas enterprises have joined to be cooperative partners of the Beijing Olympics to secure the financial support.

Liu said that construction on the remaining new venues will all start this year and competition schedule for the 2008 Olympics and Paralympics is also under design.

He said that Beijing has completed the transportation strategic plan, established transport coordination and command mechanism, and begun building a transportation model for the games.

The BOCOG has signed agreements with 88 hotels, which will provide 22,962 hotel rooms and 31 villas for athletes and other participants. It has also designated 20 hospitals to provide medical services and checks of performance-enhancing drugs, Liu said.

Meanwhile, a security coordination group has also been set up, he added.

In terms of Olympic culture, Liu said that BOCOG has been soliciting good ideas worldwide about the slogan, mascot and torch relay.

Beijing has also devoted great efforts in building a technical system for the games, strengthening financial management, and protecting related intellectual property rights (IPR).

The sports round-table meeting held by the Fortune Global Forum this time is specifically targeted at the rapid development of China's sports industry and opportunities mushrooming during the process.  

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2005)