China had kept to tight budget limits in preparation for the Beijing Olympic Games, said President Hu Jintao on Friday in a joint interview with journalists from 25 news organizations across the world.

"China raised the guideline of running an economic Olympic Games and implemented the guideline in preparing for the Olympic Games," Hu said.

While answering a question by the US broadcaster NBC, Hu said that the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 29th Olympic Game(BOCOG) had put every penny under strict scrutiny to ensure money was used properly.

The BOCOG also made full use of existing sports facilities, and the number of renovated or extended stadiums accounted for half of the total Olympic Game stadiums, Hu said.

Some new stadiums were built on university campuses and would serve the students after the Olympic Games, he added.

Hu said although huge investments were spent in environmental protection, subway lines, airport expansion, and a new railway station, they were part of Beijing's development plan, which would not only ensure a successful games, but also exert a far-reaching impact on the development of the city and on easing the lives of its citizens.

The interview came a week ahead of the start of the Beijing Olympics.

(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2008)?