Liu Jingmin, vice mayor of Beijing and executive vice president of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, revealed Friday that Beijing has increased its budget for the 2008 Games from the previous estimate of $1.6 billion (U.S.). He said the strengthened budget is aimed at providing better security for the Games and the rise in the value of China’s currency is also a factor in the increase.
Liu said another budget revision will be made later as each host city is required to submit three versions of the budget during the preparation of the Games. He guaranteed the staging of “an absolute safe and secure gathering” in Beijing.
Regarding environmental concerns at the Games, Liu said the city has honoured its commitments for a Green Olympiad. Liu said, “over the past few years the city has moved 167 factories to more remote areas while helping them with technical innovations to reduce emissions”.
Meanwhile a recent survey shows that more Chinese citizens believe that the 2008 Games will bring economic and financial benefits to the country. The survey was conducted by Visa among 1,300 citizens in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen from July to September.
About 78 per cent of the respondents in the 20-45-age bracket with family incomes of more than 1,250 yuan per month lauded the Games net worth, up from 68 per cent in the previous month.
Also more people believed that the Beijing Games will promote China in a positive light to the rest of the world, climbing from 85 per cent in July to 93 per cent in September, reports China Daily. About 70 per cent said they agreed the domestic tourism industry will flourish because of the Games and would continue to grow long after the Closing Ceremony.
Beijing is building more handicapped accessible facilities ahead of the Games reports Xinhua, according to organizers. The city is renovating more than 1,000 public facilities a year for easier access of wheelchairs, said Liu. “All Beijing’s star-level hotels and more than 40 hospitals are handicapped accessible”, he told reporters.
Beijing’s Olympic facilities also include a new terminal building at the Capital International Airport and a more comprehensive subway network that will extend to the Olympic Village and the airport in time for the Games.
All the new routes will have wheelchair accessible cars.
