Qiang Wei, Beijing’s deputy party secretary, who is also head of the co-ordination team organizing security for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, unveiled security plans at a rally Wednesday which marked the implementation of the city’s Olympic security master plan.
The plans include the participation of almost all the security organizations around the city – public security, national security and the armed police.
Also involved will be safety departments at various work units and drivers of subway trains, buses and taxis.
Qiang said Beijing would work with the security organizations of other countries including the United States, Germany, Britain, France and Russia, to enhance its defence against riots or terrorist attacks.
But Qiang did not reveal what the cost of all this security would be which includes all- round protection in the air, on land and at sea.
Beijing has already dispatched five groups of 39 people to Athens to learn about its experiences. Qiang said, “we do not want to turn Beijing into a fortress, but a place with an auspicious and peaceful atmosphere that will make athletes, coaches and visitors to feel relaxed and safe”.
Mia Zhenchuan, director of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, said his bureau has been carrying out a seven-year language-training program, which started in 2001 when Beijing was selected to host the 2008 Games. Ma is also deputy head of the co-ordination team organizing Olympic security.
He said, “we have published a textbook of ‘Olympic Security English’, which mainly focuses on the handling of every possible problem that may happen during our security work for the Games”. Ma said his team would set up two branches – the Olympic security command centre and the intelligence centre – by June of this year.
