With less than seven years until China's first Olympics, the detailed plan is expected to accelerate the preparatory works and lay down solid ground for the city's ambition to stage the "best-ever" Games.

Officials from the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) said they were keen to involve the public in supervision.

They welcomed advice via a telephone hotline and e-mail box which were unveiled next to the plan, underlining the fact that everyone should become involved in staging the most watched sports event in the world.

"Beijing will now enter a fast-developing era, which is dominated by Olympic-related preparations," said Liu Qi, BOCOG President and Beijing Mayor.

The mayor briefly introduced the plan, focusing on venue construction, the most crucial part of staging an Olympics.

"We hope the venues are practical not lavish while meeting demand for the Olympics," he said.

Heavy consideration is being put on the use of the venues once the Games have closed.

Most are planned to be turned into exhibition centers, museums or hotels as Olympic organizers are turning their minds to finding more practical uses.

Several innovative thoughts have been developed with officials set to turn a 19,000-seat stadium inside the Olympic Green into the National Circus Center or a colossal concert venue.

Many temporary seats are expected to be installed in the National Swimming Center so that the seats can be replaced by artificial sandy beach with palm trees, turning the center into a bay-like playground after the Olympics.

But officials promised that the massive construction project -- the biggest in China's history -- won't damage the historic sites which partly represent the city's intense cultural heritage.

Officials also showed their confidence in improving the city's environment, especially in meeting recent challenges posed by sandstorms.

Answering a question from a reporter following the severe sandstorm which engulfed Beijing in a apocalyptic yellow hue on March 20 on whether such weather formations would affect the Games, BOCOG Executive Vice-President Liu Jingmin gave a definite "No" answer.

Liu said the government had made huge efforts to prevent the seasonal natural phenomenon which affects Beijing in the spring time and improvements have been seen.

"The Olympics will be run in summer so there is little possibility of any sandstorm taking place," he said.

"But, we will bring sandstorms in other seasons under control by 2008."

Officials said they have a busy schedule to fulfill this year, including starting international bids on construction of Olympic venues and planning marketing strategies.

The bid for the Olympic Green which will hold the main stadium and Olympic Village will go public next month.

The committee said they had not received any request from Taiwan for co-hosting some Olympic competitions but the door still remains open.

(China Daily March 29, 2002)