Beijing police are planning to install a network of “anti-terrorism cameras” in luxury hotels, according to the China Daily Newspaper. The plan was unveiled at a meeting Wednesday of the Beijing Police Department. Police already operate a network of 90,000 video cameras throughout Beijing that monitor traffic and can be used to follow individuals. According to the report police chief Ma Zhenchuan said, “the cameras inside the hotels are mainly used to fight terrorism in anticipation of a tougher security situation prior to the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008”. Cameras will be in installed in entertainment areas of hotels and around cashier desks, reports the newspaper.
Tickets for the 2008 Games will go on sale in early 2007. Tickets for the Opening Ceremony and the finals of some events will be more expensive according to the organizing committee. Liu Jingmin, vice mayor of Beijing and vice executive president of the Beijing organizing committee said, “except for those reserved for the Olympic family, most of the tickets will be sold on the market. Foreign spectators in 202 countries and regions worldwide can buy the tickets via their own Olympic committees”, said Liu.
Construction on the National Stadium that will host events like gymnastics, trampoline and handball is reported to be going on at a frenetic pace. Wang Zhiyuan, spokesperson for the Project Construction Headquarters, elaborated on the progress at a media conference. Wang also said that construction of four temporary venues and eight new roads leading to Olympic venues will begin soon. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has in the past advised Beijing 2008 organizers to go slow on construction of various venues, as maintenance of the completed venues would pose a problem.
