China has ordered its banks to step up their computer infrastructure to ensure that there are no financial mishaps during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Jiang Dingzhi, vice chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said that China’s banks needed to be extra vigilant to ensure that there are no embarrassing slip-ups. He said, “banks must ensure that during the Olympic period banking services are completely safe to present a good image of the Chinese banking industry”.
Beijing is to ban smoking in 70 per cent of the city’s hotel rooms in an effort to clean up its air for the Games. A draft law on the official web site of the Beijing Legislative Affairs Office bans smoking inside all hotels except for “in well-ventilated and clearly indicated smoking rooms”. The new regulation, which is open to public consultation but will be enacted on May 31, will be expanded to cover fitness centres, cultural heritage sites and offices. Fines for violations will be 50 yuan. Smoking is already banned in schools, libraries, cinemas, theatres, museums, galleries, stores, banks, post offices, and on public transport.
China has launched an inquiry into reports that at least 10 workers have died during construction of the new Olympic stadium in Beijing. Senior safety official Li Yizhong said those responsible would be punished severely if the reports are true. The UK-based Sunday Times reported unnamed witnesses to the deaths and said families had been paid to keep quiet. When asked by reporters whether he could confirm the report, Li said, “this is the first I have heard of this. I will ask the Beijing work safety watchdog to conduct an investigation and if this found to be the case, severe punishment would be administered according to the law”.
