Chen Zhili appointed mayor of Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Village

The first meeting of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Village

(BEIJING, April 12) -- Chen Zhili, Vice-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and BOCOG Vice-President, was appointed Mayor of the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Village at its first meeting on Saturday.

The appointment was announced by Liu Yandong, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, State Councilor, and BOCOG Vice-President. Liu also announced the members of Chen Zhili's team, approved by the Central leadership.

Liu Qi speaks.

Chen's deputies include Du Deyin, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress; Chen Jian, President of the United Nations Association of China; Yu Zaiqing, Vice-Minister of the General Administration of Sport; Lu Hao, Vice-Mayor of Beijing; Cheng Kai, Vice-President of the Executive Board of the China Disabled Persons' Federation; Zang Aimin, head of the United Front Work Department of the Qingdao CPC Municipal Committee; Elsie Leung Oi-sie, Deputy Chairman of HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the National People's Congress of China.

In her speech, Chen Zhili stressed the need to clarify the tasks and responsibilities and streamline the processes of the Village in order to ensure its efficient and harmonious operation. Organization of the Village must meet the same high standard that all other Olympic preparations have exhibited, she said, in order to provide first-class service to all guests of the Village, including athletes, all members of each country's delegation and the media.

Seeing the Olympic and Paralympic Village as one of the most important service facilities of the Games, Liu Yandong said that a successfully-run Village will contribute to a successful Olympic Games. She offered the principles of "observing international practice, abiding by unified standards, respecting personal needs and paying attention to details" as guidelines for the operation of the Village.

BOCOG President Liu Qi said that the Village should "make athletes the focal point of its services, make security its principal task, use IOC standards as its yardstick, and make teamwork its foundation," in order to be successful.

At present, he said, organizers need to work through all the details in the Village's operations and then run tests and rehearsals to ensure that service during the Games will be faultless.

Security is a fundamental component in the success of the Games and one of the most important tasks of the Village, said Liu, who is a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPC, and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee. This includes anti-terrorism and emergency-response measures, he said, as well as food security.

Liu Yandong speaks.

Also present at the meeting were Liu Peng, Minister of the General Administration of Sport, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and Executive President of BOCOG; and Guo Jinlong, deputy secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, Mayor of Beijing and Executive President of BOCOG.