Preparation work for the Olympic Games is still going smooth, just as Wang Wei, Secretary General of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), said it would when he reported to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) four years ago.

"The preparation work has won support from all levels of governments and people from all walks of life," said Wang, adding that the whole society is taking on an "enthusiastic and orderly working atmosphere."

Spending frugally

Marketing of the Olympics has harvested satisfactory fruits, according to Wang. "The marketing income will meet the funding needs for the Games' organization and operation expenses," noted Wang.

Though good marketing results, the BOCOG sticks to the principle of "a frugal Olympics" and pinches every penny before spending it. The objective of BOCOG is not to spend more money than that was spent on the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Talking weather

The Beijing Olympic Games will be held in August, a season that sees changeable weather and much rain. Statistics show that it rains an average of every three days in Beijing during August. However, Wang Yingchun, an expert with the State Meteorological Agency, was confident about providing a high-quality weather forecasting service. She has led the research program for precise weather reports and it has proven effective.

"We will provide a precise weather forecast and update the weather forecasts four times a day for all sports venues," Wang said. "For certain matches we will forecast the weather by the hour."

The probability of precipitation, something most people are used to seeing when they look at a weather forecast, will not be allowed during the Olympics because of its ambiguity. The forecast will clearly state whether there will be rain or not, according to meteorologist Li Zechun. "According to international practice, the weather department should prepare to disperse the rain ahead of time if a rain is predicted," explained Li.

In order to bring more accuracy to the weather forecasting, Beijing has borrowed short-term forecast systems from countries and regions including the United States, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong.

Almost famous

The National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, is now in its interior decoration phase. The interiors will borrow ideas from famous architecture around the world while also retaining specific Chinese characteristics.

The Bird's Nest is due to be completed by next March, and will be the final venue constructed. Fengtai Softball Field in Beijing was the first facility completed and hosted the XI Women's World Softball Championship in August 2006.

"Most of the venues will be completed and put in use in early August," said chief engineer of Olympic venue construction Wu Jingjun. "Some will be finished at the end of this year."

Traffic worries

"We are confident in dealing with the traffic problem in Beijing next August," said BOCOG's Wang. "Beijing will give a boost to public transportation and the city will not be 'closed down'."

With almost 3 million existing vehicles and more than 1,000 new ones on the road every day, Beijing's traffic situation is under great pressure. Addressing this problem, the Beijing Government is stepping up the construction of transportation infrastructure and encouraging citizens to take public transport. Measures include reducing public transportation costs and building four more subway lines.

"Public education on obeying the traffic rules is also carried out," added Wang. "It's good that the Olympics fall on a month when students have their summer vacation. Without the traffic of parents picking up their kids up or dropping them off at school, traffic will be reduced by a quarter. Besides this, special transportation lanes will be set up to guarantee athletes and spectators arrive at the venues on time.

"Business cars will not be encouraged during the Games," Wang said, citing a successful example in the Beijing Summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum held in November 2006. This means increasing bus transport capacity and restricting public service and private vehicles.

Blue skies

Another mission for the local government is to improve air quality. This includes reducing the emission of sulfur dioxide and smoke, traffic pollution and implementing sandstorm control.

Beijing started its blue-sky program (a blue-sky day is when air quality attains Grade II or better) before Beijing bid for the Olympics in 2001. Since 1998 the blue-sky days have been increasing: 146 in 1999, 165 in 2000 and 185 days in 2001. Blue days added up to 241 days in 2006, making up 66 percent of the whole days in that year.

Measures have been taken to reduce pollution in the city. For example, besides moving the Beijing Shougang Group's steel works outside of the city in February, the Beijing Coking Plant, which was founded in the southeastern part of Beijing in 1958, also stopped production last year.

According to Liu Qi, President of BOCOG, the city's industrial structure has been readjusted, with industrial production now only accounting for around 20 percent of the capital's economy.

"In addition, we have taken great steps to improve the energy structure using clean energy sources like electricity and natural gas," he said.

As for automobile emissions, Beijing has adopted emission standards equivalent to the European III Emission Standard, and will even use the European IV standard in the future. "Although we have a large number of vehicles, the emission standards could reach international levels," Liu added.

"A Green Olympic is one the three concepts that BOCOG advocates and thus Beijing is cooperating with the adjacent cities and provinces to improve its air quality," said Wang. The government also listens to suggestions from the NGOs and endeavors to build a sustainable environment in Beijing for the 2008 Games.

The Beijing Olympics in Numbers

110,657 people have applied to be volunteers for urban services during the Games since recruitment began in June

4 billion viewers around the globe are expected to watch the Games, according to a top Olympics TV relay official

5 minutes The run time of the promotional film shot by the renowned U.S. film director Oliver Stone

91,000 The seating capacity of the National Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies, track and field competitions and football finals during the Games

7million affordable tickets are on sale for the Games, 75% of which will be sold domestically with the rest available to the overseas

283.8 billion yuan spent on infrastructure in Beijing from 2002 to 2006, including 110 billion yuan in transportation, four times the sum of the previous five years

110 star hotels will be available in Beijing to cope with the demand for accommodation during the Games

80 hectares The space area of the Olympic Village, which will be home to over 16,800 athletes, coaches and officials of national teams

130 days The number of days the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will last. The relay will involve a total of 21,880 torchbearers from home and abroad and it will travel 137,000 km

72 centimeters Height of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch, which weighs 980 grams and is made of aluminum

21,880 The number of torchbearers that will be selected from around the world by various organizations and entities to carry out the torch relay