Safety, safety, safety.

That's the mantra topping the agenda of the internationally famous "mobile amusement park" World Carnival opening to Beijing residents today in the capital city's International Sculpture Park.

A strict safety guarantee plan has been drafted by the organizer -- the Hong Kong-based World Carnival Company to prevent accidents.

Officials expect the flow of visitors this year will reach 2.5 million during the 52-day stay of the carnival in Beijing, which will feature 100 various entertainment venues.

Computers are used at the park to calculate the number of visitors to the site, restricting the entrance of some if the flow is too high, hoping to prevent trampling tragedies such as the accident in Miyun on the outskirts of Beijing earlier this year.

The greatest number of permitted visitors allowed in is 12,000 per hour, according to the organizer's safety plan.

Emergency exits at the entertainment site are able to evacuate 30,000 people within seven minutes, officials said.

Meanwhile, fire engines will be on standby at the event, along with two complete medical clinics to provide free medical services to visitors who suffer injuries or other difficulties.

The two clinics are to be equipped with two general practitioners and two nurses, as well as medicines and medical facilities for injuries, vascular diseases and sunstroke.

The Shijingshan Hospital, located in the same district with the World Carnival, said it can send ambulances to the site within 10 minutes, with some pre-positioned there on weekends.

Two other hospitals in Shijingshan District will be prepared as the back-up hospitals.

Food sold at the World Carnival will receive strict supervision from local health authorities, sources said.

Considering the huge business opportunity ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the World Carnival will visit the capital city every year in the future years, sources with the organizing company said.

Shanghai's 78-day World Carnival in 2003 attracted more than 2 million visitors, earning 240 million yuan (US$29 million).

(China Daily July 2, 2004)