Consolidated strength to make the Olympic and Paralympic Games a great success

(BEIJING, January 3) -- The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) will pour the utmost passion and make the utmost effort to fully carry out the goal of staging a high-level Olympic Games and Paralympic Games with distinguishing features, thus wrapping the mission to a successful end, as entrusted by the Chinese government and people, BOCOG President Liu Qi stressed.

Liu Qi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, made remarks at BOCOG's fifth plenary session here on Thursday -- just 218 days from the opening of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, and State Councilor and BOCOG First Vice-President Chen Zhili attended and delivered speeches at the staff meeting. Also present at the meeting were Liu Peng, Minister of the General Administration of Sport, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and Executive President of BOCOG; and Guo Jinlong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, Acting Mayor of Beijing and Executive President of BOCOG.

Addressing the meeting, Liu pointed out that under the direct leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and with the solid support base of the Chinese people, BOCOG has had a successful six-year run and stepped into the spotlight of the Olympic year 2008. The plenary session was mainly intended to implement the central government's directives on the preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games, and in line with the requirements of the 17th CPC National Congress, further strengthen confidence, gather strength, define the tasks, and work hard to carry through the goal of hosting high-level Olympic Games and Paralympic Games with distinguishing features.

At the meeting, Liu summed up the Games preparations in 2007 and laid plans for the main tasks in 2008. He pointed out that 2007 was a crucial year in the course of the Games preparations. The 17th CPC National Congress recognized the Games preparation and organization as a task of the Party and the country and explicitly put forward the requirement of organizing the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games well. The directives and requirements from the CPC central committee and the State Council fully expressed the aspirations and determination of the party and the people, providing a fundamental guarantee and strong support for bringing together the strength of the party and the country for the success of the Games.

The main progress of the preparations in 2007 was revealed in the following three aspects:

1. Construction of the Olympic venues and facilities was sped up and the task as a whole completed. Rehearsals for the opening and closing ceremonies had fully begun. Preparation for the torch relay had basically come to an end, while large-scale events were held successfully. BOCOG had also further enhanced international communications and cooperation. Volunteer recruitment and training had advanced. Competition organization made smooth progress and the preparation for the Paralympic Games had been carried out simultaneously.

2. The organizations of this year's "Good Luck Beijing" sport events was accomplished. These pre-Games events put the venue facilities and technical systems to a test. Through the events, the venue operation teams were tempered, the competition command center established, and competition service system formed. The urban environment and transport system were also under a comprehensive test.

3. The urban operation was vigorously pushed forward to create more favorable conditions for the successful hosting of the Olympic Games.

All in all, BOCOG harvested five lessons from 2007: People-oriented principle must be carried out; coordination must be strengthened; promotional work must be initiated; risk awareness must be raised and response capacity improved; and details must be grasped.

Liu Qi pointed out that 2008 is an Olympic year for China and the world. BOCOG will fully carry out the spirit of the CPC 17th National Congress and the directives of the CPC Central Committee on the Olympic preparations, in an effort to get ready for the Olympics.

BOCOG will strive to continue to carry out the concepts of "Green Olympics," "High-tech Olympics," and the "People's Olympics"; widely communicate the concepts of Transcendence, Equality, Integration for the Paralympics; bring the initiatives of various circles into play and integrate the resources to stage a high-level Olympics and Paralympics with distinguishing features. In 2008, BOCOG will fulfill the Olympic preparations; set up a city operation, administration, service, logistics and emergency-response system; extend the achievements of the campaign to improve residents' etiquette levels; display the image of "New Beijing, Great Olympics"; enhance publicity for a positive opinion environment; showcase China's image as an open, democratic, civilized and harmonious country; strengthen Olympic security work to ensure a safe Olympics; boost international relations to win wide support from the international community and forge friendship and cooperation with other nations.

Liu Qi pointed out nine important tasks of the 2008 preparations:

1. Fully carry out the Olympic operational and organization work

2. Meticulously organize the opening and closing ceremonies as well as other major ceremonies and cultural activities

3. Increase international communications and put in place services related to various client groups

4. Increase Olympic publicity; improve media services; create a positive public opinion domestically and abroad

5. Completely carry out the various measures for Olympic safety and ensure the theme of a "Safe Olympics"

6. Improve city operations and fully expand the campaign "Welcome the Olympics, Improve Manners and Foster New Attitudes"

7. Boost the various aspects of preparatory work for a successful Paralympic Games

8. Give emphasis to increasing the formation of teams to carry out the preparatory work and intensify Olympic training to provide solid assurance for a successful Olympic Games

9. Follow through on a policy of frugality and integrity in organizing the Olympics and ensure that all work is transparent.

Liu Qi requested that the spirit of the CPC 17th National Congress, as well as vigor and enthusiasm, be exercised in carrying forward the Olympic preparations. Those involved in the preparatory work should fully understand the expedient effect that a successful Olympic Games would have in bringing about a well-off society and accordingly increase their sense of responsibility and awareness of time pressures. Leadership from the Communist Party of China will increase. In carrying out the Olympic preparations, the various resources available must be fully utilized and international cooperation must be increased in order to adhere to international practice and fulfill the promises made in the Olympic bid. Emphasizing "people-first," Olympic services must be guaranteed through careful attention to details and safety management.

Tang Jiaxuan emphasized that the member units of the coordination group for Olympic foreign affairs must take this year's foreign affairs work to be their most important tasks and pay attention to both details and the larger picture. In carrying out the foreign affairs work, the functions of a host country must be exercised, and, at the same time, there must be regard for international convention. The various work plans and contingency plans must be worked out in detail in order to ensure a "high-level Olympic Games with distinguishing features."

In a summary speech, Chen Zhili emphasized that all those involved in the preparatory work for the Beijing Olympics must possess an extremely strong value of historic responsibility. They must continue to rally together and work hard in order to successfully deliver a "high-level Olympic Games with distinguishing features." She pointed out the following:

1. Full cooperation to completely push forward the organizing and preparatory work for the Olympic Torch Relay, the opening and closing ceremonies, and other projects.

2. Further raise the level of professionalism and internationalization; offer excellent media services and venue operations.

3. Carry out external Olympic publicity and improve the level of law enforcement;

4. Fully expand the campaign "Welcome the Olympics, Improve Manners and Foster New Attitudes"; ensure that the volunteer selection work and volunteer training work are carried out earnestly; promote the widespread practice of physical exercise across society

5. Follow through on offering excellent barrier-free services and building barrier-free facilities; emphasize humanism and ensure that the Olympic and Paralympic Games are "equally splendid."

Xiang Zhaolun, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council, member of the leading group of the Beijing Olympic torch relay, and chief of the organizing committee for the torch relay on the mainland of China; Li Dongsheng, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Beijing Olympic Media and Communications Coordination Group; Wang Anshun, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and first deputy head of the Beijing Olympic Security Coordination Group; as well as other officials delivered work reports at the meeting.

A total of over 400 people representing related organizations, including BOCOG, the General Administrations of Sport, and the host and co-host cities, attended the meeting.