BEIJING -- The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) and Beijing Olympic Games Volunteer Work Coordination Group on Monday officially launched the volunteers recruitment from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and foreign countries.

Liu Jian, Head of Volunteer Department of BOCOG addresses the press conference on March 28.[chinadaily.com.cn]

Since the Olympic volunteer program was launched on June 5, 2005, a framework has been formed, consisting of six working projects and one theme activity -"Smiling Beijing". The projects are: the "Towards the Olympics" Voluntary Service Project, the BOCOG Pre-Games Volunteer Project, the Games-time Volunteer Project, the City Volunteer Project, the Social Volunteer Project and the Olympic Volunteer Work Legacy Transformation Project.

Recruitment for volunteers in Beijing kicked off on August 28, 2006. China's other areas outside the capital started recruitment on January 19, 2007.

To date, there are over 400,000 applicants with more than 270,000 from Beijing.

There will be 100,000 Games-time volunteers for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, with about 70,000 for the Olympic Games and about 30,000 for the Paralympic Games.

The volunteers will mainly come from Beijing with college students as the main body, as well as a certain number of the personnel from residents of various provinces, compatriots of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, overseas Chinese, students studying aboard and foreigners.

From now on, applicants in the aforesaid areas can apply through the following websites designated by the relevant organizations:

For Hong Kong: www.hab.gov.hk

For Macao: www.sport.gov.mo

For Taiwan: www.bjtx.org

For oversea Chinese: www.bjqb.gov.cn

For foreigners: www.ebeijing.gov.cn

Applications in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and oversea areas must be sent in before the end of March 2008. For further information, please contact BOCOG at hotline 8610¡ª¡ª12308.