(BEIJING, March 28) -- The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) and the Beijing Olympic Games Volunteer Work Coordination Group launched the recruitment of volunteers for the Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympic Games from compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao,Taiwan, overseas Chinese and foreigners on Wednesday.

BOCOG and the Coordination Group entrusted the following organizations to conduct the recruitment in their respective areas: the Kong Home Affair Bureau, Macao Sport Development Board, Beijing Olympic Games Taiwan Compatriot volunteer recruitment Center, Beijing Olympic Games Overseas Chinese Volunteer Recruitment Center and Beijing Olympic Games Foreign Volunteer Recruitment Center. All these centers are located in Beijing.

From now on, applicants in the aforesaid areas can apply through the following websites designated by the relevant organizations:

For Hong Kong: www.hab.gov.hk

For Macao: www.sport.gov.mo

For Taiwan: www.bjtx.org

For overseas Chinese: www.bjqb.gov.cn

For foreigners: www.ebeijing.gov.cn

Applications in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and oversea areas must be sent in before the end of March 2008. BOCOG will conclude the recruitment in May 2008. For further information, please contact BOCOG at hotline 8610——12308.

Since the Olympic volunteer program was launched on June 5, 2005, a framework has been formed, consisting of six working projects and one theme activity -"Smiling Beijing". The projects are: the "Towards the Olympics" Voluntary Service Project, the BOCOG Pre-Games Volunteer Project, the Games-time Volunteer Project, the City Volunteer Project, the Social Volunteer Project and the Olympic Volunteer Work Legacy Transformation Project.

There will be 100,000 Games-time volunteers for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games: about 70,000 for the Olympic Games and another 30,000 for the Paralympic Games. Most Games-time volunteers will be recruited among college students in the Beijing area, and a certain number of volunteers will be recruited from China's provinces, compatriots of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, overseas Chinese, students studying abroad and foreigners.

On August 28, 2006, the recruitment of Games-time volunteers in Beijing was launched. On January 19, 2007, the recruitment of Games-time volunteers from the provinces (autonomous regions, and municipalities) outside Beijing started. To date, the number of applications for Games-time service have surpassed 410,000, including over 280,000 in the Beijing area and another 130,000 from areas outside Beijing.

During the Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, more than 400,000 city volunteers will provide information, translation, first-aid and other services at 2,000 urban service stations around the competition venues and key areas of Beijing, including transportation hubs, commercial networks, scenic spots, medical facilities, hotels, and cultural centers. The recruitment of city volunteers will start in June 2007.

A large number of social volunteers in Beijing will also serve in urban communities and in the "Smiling Beijing" theme campaign. The volunteers are encouraged to offer high quality services to earn Beijing a good image.