Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG), on Monday urged
meteorologists countrywide to strive to provide the best services
during the Olympics next summer.
"A top-grade Olympic Games can not do without first-class
weather services," said Liu, who called on meteorological
departments to provide more accurate forecasts and carry out
international cooperation.
Due to global climate change, the weather during next year's
Olympic Games will be much more complicated than previous ones and
therefore poses tougher requirements for our weather services, he
said.
Beijing has set up 26 bases around the city to carry out rain
reduction projects for the grand sports event next year.
The city has been trying to improve meteorological services to
serve the event, including accurate weather forecasts and air
quality reports.
On Aug. 8, China held a rain reduction drill in Inner Mongolia
to ensure that the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic
Games would not be interrupted by rain.
(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2007)
