Beijing Today (May 18, 2001)

Page 1

Media vote on the final design works of Beijing Finance Street. Page 3

FRIDAY MAY 18 2001

Tiny museums tell stories of Beijing yesterday. Page 16

NO. 2

The voice surges up into the sky above the ancient sacrificial altar. Page 12

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CN11-0109

China Set to Spend $30 Billion on Olympics

Beijng delegation in Lausanne By Xia Lei/Cheng Feng/Ayi “The Chinese Government and Beijing Municipal Government will put $30 billion in the construction and renovation of roads, sports facilities and environmental regeneration and protection,” said Long Xinmin, Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of Beijing and Vice Chairman of the Beijing Olympic Games Bidding Committee on May 16. Long expressed this determination from both China’s central government and Beijing’s local authority in his meeting with a press delegation from the United States. The delegation visited China during May 7-17. “Hosting the 2008 Olympic Games for a big country like China with a population close to 1.3 billion will clearly and definitely promote the Olympic movement globally. The great progress and economic development China has achieved in its reform and opening up over the past 20 years provide a concrete and important guarantee for Beijing to host such a big event,” said Long. “The hosting of 2008 Olympic Games by Beijing will also bring great business opportunities not only to China, but also to business partners of the city and China as well, and those multinationals investing in Beijing in particular.”

Cross-Straits Olympics under One-China Policy

“If Beijing were selected as the city to hold the 2008 Olympics, there is a possibility that it will hold the games with Taiwan,” said Yuan Weimin, Chairman of the China Olympic Committee and

Boxing promoter Don King arrived in Beijing Tuesday, together with Evander Holyeld and John Ruiz to inspect the venue for the two’s upcoming heavyweight title ght. The bout, scheduled for August 5, will be the rst heavyweight title ght ever to be held in China. At a press conference held in the international VIP room at Beijing’s Capitol Airport, King said “Ruiz and Holyeld, you saw the rst two ghts. They put on a great show. The third one’s going to be even better!” The three received a warm welcome by the hundreds of correspondents from home and abroad who besieged them with questions. King obviously enjoyed the attention, and promised an even more exciting ght than the previous two shows. He also took the opportunity to voice his strong support for Beijing’s bid for the 2008 Olympic Games. King is known as a powerful promoter who focuses on the ‘spectacle’ of the ght and never signs an agreement that won’t make a lot of money for him and the two boxers involved. From the time a contract is signed, he plays on the tension between the ghters and uses the sports press to generate public interest in the ght, which translates to box ofce ticket sales. It’s often said in the boxing world that all Mr. King needs is two ghters, and he stages the rest. The Beijing ght will be no exception, and King will no doubt return to the U.S. a signicantly richer man. Holyeld beat Ruiz in a controversial decision in August 2000. Ruiz then took the title in the rematch on March 3. Holyeld said ``John Ruiz is not the favorite. Rahman is not the favorite. They never considered me the favorite. So it’s time for me to prove a new undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.’’

Minister of Sports said after a visit of Taiwan recently. Yuan Weimin said Thomas Ta-chou Huang, Chairman of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee has expressed willingness to bid for the Games through joint efforts across the Straits. Huang hopes Beijing can succeed in the bid. Yuan stressed the Olympics can only be held by one city of one country. If Beijing were selected to hold the Games, there is possibility Taiwan will be taking some of the sports events after friendly discussions and under the One China policy. However, it must obtain permission from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Kevin Kou-i Chen, Secretary-General of Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee, said Taiwan could benefit from a successful Beijing bid. First, there will be more business opportunities. Second, it will bring more exchanges on sports across the Straits before 2008. Finally, it will be good for peace.

Beijing Bid: ‘High Quality’

Beijing’s bid for the 2008 Olympics was evaluated as a “high quality” one that would leave a unique legacy to China and the sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in Lausanne on Tuesday. Beijing, Toronto and Paris won ringing endorsements for their bids to stage the 2008 Summer Olympics. The two other contenders, Osaka and Istanbul, were virtually eliminated as potential hosts. The finalist cities were not ranked or given specific marks and the report went out of its way to keep the three main contenders in the same frame. However, Beijing has long been considered the frontrunner. “The combination of a good sports concept with complete government support results in a high quality bid,” the IOC evaluation commission said in its report. The commission takes note of the process and pace of change taking place in China and Beijing and the possible challenges caused by population and economic growth in the period leading up to 2008, but is confident these challenges can be met. “There is an environmental challenge, but the strong government actions and investment in this area should resolve this and improve the city,” the report said.

EDITOR: LI XIN DESIGNER: PANG LEI

King brings the first heavyweight title fight to China

Shaanxi Governor Disciplined over Safety

By Xia Lei Governor of Shaanxi Province Cheng Andong has been handed an administrative disciplinary measure from the State Council for misleading the province on safety standards. During the month of April, 3 major accidents occurred in the province. Explosions at two coal mines killed 48 and 38 people respectively, and a stampede in a

tunnel at Huashan Mountain in Huayin city resulted in the deaths of 17 tourists. As well as sending medical support units, the Central Party Committee and State Council ordered an investigative panel to determine the cause of the three accidents. After a careful check, the panel found that all 3 incidents resulted from a lack of responsibility by the local government and administrative institu-

Photo by Hu Jinxi

tions, leading to a serious loss of life and property. The State Council believes that the incidents reflected the ignorance of the local government on safety standards and workplace responsibility. At the same time, they showed that certain institutions under the government are overly bureaucratic and careless about people’s lives. As a result of the findings, the State Council delivered an administrative disciplinary measure to the provincial governor, Cheng Andong. The provincial government of Shaanxi will be responsible for punishing any local officials whose negligence is found to have contributed to the incidents. The State Council says all local governments and departments should draw lessons from the incidents in Shaanxi, and carry out thorough checks on workplace safety procedures. All the major incidents will be handled according to the State Council’s Regulations on Administrative Disciplinary Measures for Major Safety Incidents.

By Chu Peng

Ofcials Responsible for Industrial Accidents Punished BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhuanet) A total of 21 officials, including a provincial governor, who are responsible for three serious safety accidents in Shaanxi Province, northwest China, have been given administrative punishments of various degrees, sources said Wednesday. The State Council ordered harsh punishment of officials responsible for the accidents in accordance with government discipline. Governor Cheng Andong of the province was given a demerit. The other officials were given varied administrative punishments. Further investigations into the causes of the accidents are still going on, and those who are found to have broken the law will be brought to court.

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