For the duration of the 2008 Olympic Games residents of Beijing may
have special holidays for the world's most important sporting event
and public transport could be free.
The information was realized by Wei Jizhong, advisor to the
Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Games, at an event to
announce the founding of the Beijing Olympic Legislation
Coordination Group on April 11.
Wei said, "We suggest that the municipal government work out
policies to encourage local residents to take holidays and use
public transport during the period of the Games." Such an
initiative is aimed at helping to ensure that the Games is run
smoothly.
Beijing Vice Mayor Ji Lin explained the necessity for Olympic
legislation at the event. He emphasized that those in authority
should shoulder their responsibilities and if obligations were
ignored, those involved should be held to account.
In the past, according to the coordination group, government
administers the society by means of administrative orders and
instructions on the occasion of big events. However, for the
Olympics Games, a range of inter-related authorities will work
together by clearly establishing their legal responsibilities and
identifying their areas of power. Such an approach would promote
efficiency, according to the vice mayor.
The new legislation will cover two major areas. One is to
regulate various social issues, for instances, Olympic holidays,
and the free public transport services. The other is to enact
necessary provisions for the normal operation of the city so that
various issues emerging during the Games can be solved according to
law.
Currently 76 items have been proposed to be included in the
legislation. They include public traffic, security guards,
environmental protection, public health, volunteers, tourism,
public security, and business activities.
(China.org.cn by Wang Ke, April 15, 2006)