Letter from the Editor

Almost exactly five months after the July day that Beijing won the right to host the 2008 Olympics, the city announced the formation of the body that will actually be responsible for the mammoth task of making the event come true the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, or BOCOG for short.

Mayor Liu Qi, president of the new committee (which succeeds the bid committee known as BOBICO), hailed the Chinese capital's hosting of the 29th Games as "glorious but challenging�, and pledged that the city will stage the Games in what he described as an open and economical way.

He said that during the seven-year buildup to the world event, BOCOG will be receptive in adopting international practices in many sectors, including the construction of infrastructure, fund-raising and the provision of services. Liu went on: "We will enhance teamwork with the International Olympic Committee [IOC], the international [sports] federations and national Olympic committees, build on the experiences of previous host cities, take in the advice of experts from various fields, and enroll talents from home and overseas into our organizing committee."

Concurrent with the launch of BOCOG was the announcement of a Supervision Committee which, said Liu, would ensure transparency and fairness during preparations for the Beijing Games. He explained: "Strict regulations and rules on the managing of assets and finances of the organizing committee will be put in place and strictly enforced. An independent body will also be established to audit the financial records of the organizing committee.

A priority for the Supervision Committee will be the monitoring of infrastructure construction, on which some 250 billion yuan (about US$30 billion) will be spent. Much of this work-roadways and a new subway, for example-will be crucial to the successful staging of the Games. Liu said: "We will strictly enforce governmental regulations on the management of infrastructure construction, standardize the bidding process and improve the monitoring system."

He stressed that BOCOG will stage the Games on the "principle of frugality while meeting the requirements for staging the [event]", and added: "The building of Olympic venues should both meet the demand of the Olympics and take into consideration post-Games utilization. We should make full use of existing facilities, and try to provide some temporary facilities for the Games to reduce the cost.."

Expanding on his commitment to an "open and frugal Games", Liu nonetheless pledged that the 2008 Olympics would be a "grand event by the people and for the people". He said that all ethnic Chinese people will have the chance to participate in the Games' torch relay, that all could make their own contribution to the Olympics, and that all enterprises at home and abroad would have equal chances in joining in and profiting from the construction of Olympics-related infrastructure.

IOC president Jacques Rogge extended his congratulations by letter on the formation of BOCOG, and expressed his confidence that Beijing will stage a successful Games seven years from now.