Beijing＇s Olympic Venues

AS at the end of November 2007, construction of 26 of the Beijing 2008 Olympiad venues, along with others in Hong Kong （equestrian events）, Qingdao （sailing events）, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao （soccer） were completed. The work includes 12 new constructions and eight temporary venues and the refurbishment of 11 existing stadiums. Of the 31 venues in Beijing, 10 are scattered around the Olympic Green in northern Beijing; the remainder are in the western and eastern districts, university area and northern suburbs. Construction of the National Stadium, also known as the Bird＇s Nest, will be finished in March 2008. Test events will be held there in April.     

Co-host Cities of the Beijing Olympic Games

IN August, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Tianjin, Shenyang, Shanghai and Qinhuangdao, as co-host cities of the Beijing Olympic Games,will respectively host the equestrian, sailing and soccer competitions.     

The Taste of Beijing

WE reached cruising altitude shortlyafter St. Petersburg. The last impres-sions of Europe faded - lights of itslesser cities, rivers and factories -bringing us to the vast extent of Asia.There remained six hours of flight time pendingBeijing: my adventure would start at the crack ofdawn.     

Olympic Games Bridge Beijing and London

IN April 2006, Mayor of Beijing Wang Qishan and the visiting Mayor of London Ken Livingstone signed a "sister city" agreement that reflected their joint commitment to work together in promoting the two international metrop-     

Olympic Merchandise： Money, Memories and Memorabilia

Many local shoppers are buying merchandise as gifts, especially around traditional Chinese festivals. Olympic souvenirs are considered a generous and tasteful choice.     

Ensuring Olympic Security

BEIJING, already a comparatively secure city, has taken special measures to ensure a safe Olympics. About four years ago, the Beijing Olympic Security Coordination Group was set up to establish a national command system involving the police, army and armed police, as well as security companies and volunteers. Since January 12 this year, security work has shifted from the planning to the implementation stages across the capital. ＂We have drawn up 546 detailed plans regarding security at Olympic venues, counterten＇orism, intelligence, and the guarding of VIPs,＂ says Liu Shaowu, director of the BOCOG security department.     

Beijing＇s Olympic Venues Are Earthquake Proof

WHEN the Wenchuan earthquake struck on May 12, 2008, Li Jiulin, chief engineer with the Engineer Procurement Construction Department of the National Stadium, popularly known as the Bird＇s Nest, was performing a routine inspection of the facility. The workers at the construction site and Li Jiulin did not feel the quake, and no subsequent damage was found.     

A Taste of Understated Elegance at Conrad Beijing

Conrad Beijing,part of Hilton Worldwide,has become a new icon in the city for today’s global travelers who appreciate worldly style and sophistication with local inspirations.The hotel’s289 spacious,contemporary guestrooms feature three-meter high ceilings,floor-to-ceiling windows with picturesque views of Tuanjie Lake Park,the iconic CCTV building and the captivating Beijing skyline.More than 1,000 square meters of meeting space,and six creative     

China＇s ＂New Generation＂ of Olympic Champions

THERE is nothing shy about China＇s new generation of Olympic sportsmen. Born almost exclusively in the 1980s, the athletically gifted young men and women who will represent China at the 2008 Games are far more willing to open up to the public than their predecessors, and like 20-somethings everywhere, they are at home on the Internet, managing their own fan blogs and communicating with their peers online.Their uninhibited self-expression has attracted the attention of commercial advertisers, and occasionally some less welcome interest, and they are celebrated as China＇s ＂new generation＂ in sports circles, ready to take center stage in August before a world audience.     

The Olympic Village

ON the northern end of the north-south central Olympic Green, where the Olympic Village is village will be home to over 16,800 athletes, during the Games. The village logo comprises axis in Beijing is the located. The 163-acre coaches and officials three parts; the phoenix at the top represents the Olympic flame, while the last two characters represent the words ＂Dream World.＂     

Beijing： The Old and the New

As the 2008 Olympic Games draw near, Beijing, a dynamic modern city undergirded by 3,000 years of history, is throwing open its celebrated nine gates to the world.     

2008 Beijing Olympiad： Profit or Loss？

The Los Angeles Olympic Games brought hope to other host applicant countries, but the Athens Olympic Games ended in loss after the host country spent 10 billion euros. This understandably makes the next Olympic Games host feel a little uneasy.     

Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony： Zhang Yimou Keeps Everyone Guessing

Ireally can＇t tell you anything about the opening ceremony,“ Director Zhang Yimou says with a smile. Presently, Zhang＇s ”offi- cial“ identity is chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in August. More broadly, he is probably China＇s bestknown film director, who first came to prominence as part of the so-called “fifth-generation” in the late 1980s. He has garnered numerous awards globally, including the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes for To Live （1994） and ihe Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festi- val for The Story of Qiu Ju （1992） anc Not One Less （1999）. More recentl5 Hero （2002）, House of Flying Daggers （2004） and Curse of the Golden Flowel （2006） have all been box office hits ir China and abroad.     

Athens Has Gone, Beijing Is Coming：More Investment, More Gold Medals

Having attended various meetings oJcelebration and citation, Cui Dalin, deputy chief of the Chinese Sports Delegation to the Athens Olympic Games, heaves a sigh of relief as he sits in his spacious office in the Training Bureau of the State General     

Qingdao to Host Olympic Sailing Events

THE coastal city of Qingdao, in Shandong Province,is known for both its sublime beaches and industrial prominence.Several Chinese companies, such as Haier and Hisense(both electric home appliance manufacturers),as well as the world-famous Tsingtao Beer brewery,are leaders in their respective fields at home and abroad.Now,     

Beijing＇s Scenic Spots

EXCEPT for a few brief interludes, Beijing has been the capital of China for hundreds of years. As such it is rich in history and tourist sights. The imperial gardens, hutongs, and surrounding natural environment are all draw cards for tourists from around the world.     

Be Calm,Be Confident——Some Thoughts on the Approach of the 2008 Olympic Games

AS the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games approach, China has become the focus of world media attention. Certain groups hostile to the PRC have been using the occasion to demonize the country and pressure the government. They have made a concerted effort to stir up trouble and generate controversy at home and abroad, and a number of Western media have amplified the resulting cacophony, producing distorted reports about China and infuriating Chinese everywhere.     

Construction and Protection：Beijing Feels Its Way in City Planning

PEOPLE returning to Beijing after a few years' absence marvel at how much the city has changed, and for old Beijingers, these changes have occurred daily, before their very eyes. According to the deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Planning Committee…     

Translators and Interpreters： A Meeting of Friends

Between August the 2nd and the 7th, on the eve of the Beijing Olympic Games, hundreds of translators from around the world, as well as people from research and business circles, will gather in Shanghai for the ⅩⅧ World Congress of the International Federation of Translators （FIT）. Jointly hosted by the FIT and the Translators Association of China （TAC）, the Congress will explore the theme of linking translation and cultural diversity in a bid to promote mutual understanding and avoid war. The lbllowing is a message from Mr. Koichiro Matsuura, the general secretarty of UNESCO, to the Congress of the International Federation of Translators.