Polluting Factories Will Operate During 2008 Olympic Games

"Beijing has not demanded polluting factories around the capital suspend operations ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games to improve air quality, the Financial Times reported Tuesday.


Liu Qi, chairman of the Beijing Games organizing committee and the capital's highest-ranking official, said in an interview that factories would have to watch their emissions but would not have to shut for the August 2008 Games.

"The main thing is to strengthen factories. Â’ management of gases and reduce emissions of pollutants," Liu, chief of the Beijing Communist Party, was quoted as saying. "We have not made any demand for suspensions of operations."

Liu, who serves on the powerful Politburo of the ruling Communist Party, had previously said that some factories may be ordered to close before and during the Games to improve air quality.

Beijing is one of the world's most polluted cities and poor air quality has long been a grave concern for athletes, officials and fans.

Speaking at the one-year countdown celebrations last month, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said events could be rescheduled if pollution was extremely bad.

"Definitely the endurance sports like the cycling race where you have to compete for six hours, these are examples of competitions that might be postponed or delayed to another day," Rogge said.

"We are completely confident that Olympic athletes will be able to take part in their competitions normally next August," Liu told the Financial Times."