The Stadiums And Venues For The 2010 Asian Games 1

Less than 12 months remain until the Games open next November. In this week's program, we introduce you to the stadiums and venues for the 2010 Asian Games, held in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. Here's Liu Yan.

The Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games will use a total of 70 stadiums, including 50 competition gymnasiums and 20 training venues.

Zhu Xiaodan, vice director of the Games' organizing committee, says many sports facilities will be upgraded, twelve new stadiums will be built and 60 existing stadiums will be renovated through the games.

"Construction of the Asian Games sport facilities is well underway. All the projects will be complete and put into use in March of next year."

Hosting the Asian Games is a chance for development and enhancement of the city's influence in the world, says Peng Gaofeng, deputy director of the Guangzhou City Planning Bureau and director of the sports facilities department of the games' organizing committee.

"There will be five major sports venue areas in Guangzhou for the upcoming Asian Games. They are all multi-functional and have easy transportation."

Since it won the bid to host the 16th Asiad, people in Guangzhou expect the sports gala will significantly improve the image of the city while accelerating its development.

City authorities have vowed to transform Guangzhou into an international metropolis through the Asian Games.

Xu Ruisheng is deputy mayor of Guangzhou and deputy executive secretary general of the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee.

"Upgrading the city's layout and building it into a more modern and better-off city were the challenges posed to Guangzhou government officials."

The city's urban construction committee says it will rebuild the city using the concept of "one core and three satellite areas" with a focus on improving transportation and environmental protection.

The core includes the downtown area of Guangzhou and two towns in Panyu district - Guangzhou University Town and Guangzhou New Town. The satellites are Nansha, Luogang and Huadu districts, as well as all suburbs of Guangzhou.