Preparations progressing

The Yanqing competition zone of the Beijing Winter Olympics will enter its Games-time operation stage in October, the Yanqing district government confirmed last week.

A series of test programs were successfully completed in two competition venues in Yanqing－the National Sliding Center and National Alpine Skiing Center－in February.

According to the district government, the construction of the competition zone is being steadily promoted at present.

The Yanqing Winter Olympic Village has basically been completed and the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway line and Beijing-Chongli expressway have been opened to traffic.

The competition zone's ecological restoration has been 95-percent completed. Both the Winter Olympic Forest Park and landscape improvement projects around the competition zone and along the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway have been completed.

Next, the operation teams will be fully set up, and the competition venues' operation plan will be improved. The construction and renovation of non-competition venues will be completed. Training in foreign languages, Western food, reception etiquette and other aspects will be carried out for the official Winter Olympics hotels. In addition, more local ice and snow talents will be cultivated.

Xinhua