Chinese President Hu Jintao has been inspecting Qingdao's Olympic preparations. The east coast city will host Olympic Games sailing competitions next month.

President Hu Jintao's visit on Sunday comes as Olympic preparations enter the final stage.

Clean water is key for Qingdao to successfully host the sailing events. Hu Jintao's first stop was the headquarters in charge of removing green algae from the competiton site.

Hu Jintao was briefed on the city's efforts to get rid of the algae bloom. He asked staff to continue closely monitor the situation and ensure water meets the required standards.

The president then went to the Olympic Sailing Center, which will host sailing events for both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics.

The venue uses recycling and environmental protection technology to fully implement the concept of "Green Olympics".

Hu Jintao also inspected the operation and command center for sailing competitions in the venue.

He says with only 19 days left before the opening of the Olympics, organizers should go all-out to ensure smooth sailing in Qingdao.

Athletes from over 20 countries are now training in Qingdao. The president visited the Chinese sailing team at their training camp and encouraged them to perform their best during the Games.

Hu Jintao also talked to sailors from overseas Olympic teams.

Hu Jintao said, "We warmly welcome athletes from all over the world participating in the Beijing Olympics. We will try our best to provide quality services for your competitions and stay here in China. I wish you good luck in the upcoming competition."

Qingdao is a major tourist destination in east China's Shandong Province. The city was chosen to co-host the Beijing Olympics because of its beautiful coastal scenery and good water quality.

(CCTV July 21, 2008)