Quang Wei, deputy party secretary of Beijing, who is also head of the Beijing Olympic Security Co-ordination Group, briefed reporters Monday in Beijing during the International Permanent Observatory on Security Measures During Major Events (IPO) at a closed-door budgetary meeting.
He said, “we have figured out the security budget for the 2008 Olympics, but it is subject to the government’s approval”.
According to China Daily the general consensus among Olympic watchers is that nothing will be left to chance by the Chinese government and security will top the $1.3 billion allocated during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
Qiang said the total cost will be unveiled “in a very short time”.
Nearly 200 security officials and experts from China and abroad attended the forum, exchanging experiences on anti-terrorism and Olympic security. Twenty-four security experts from 10 countries and four international organizations attended the IPO to share their experience of making security plans for large events as the Olympic Games.
If requested, the IPO can provide technical assistance to countries where a major event is to take place.
Qiang told the forum that Beijing has carried out a comprehensive Olympic security plan, which involves the participation of almost all the city’s security organizations, such as the public security bureau, the national security bureau and the armed police.
He added that even drivers of subway trains, buses and taxis, and members of neighbourhood committees, have been included in the security scheme.
Qiang said that apart from mobilizing domestic resources Beijing would team up with the security institutions of other countries during its preparations for the 2008 Games.
