Source: CCTV.com | 08-04-2008 14:10

One of the Olympic slogans in Beijing in the run-up to the Beijing Summer Games has been "Be an enthusiastic and polite Chinese person". The government and Beijing residents are trying their best to put the capital city in the best light possible. They want to present a Beijing that is on its best behavior as host of the Games. Our reporter Xu Zhaoqun took a tour around the city, and shows us some of the ways Beijing is showcasing its new image.

The government and Beijing residents are trying their
best to put the capital city in the best light possible.
They want to present a Beijing that is on its best
behavior as host of the Games.

Ten years ago, no one would take offense at a shirtless man on the street on a sweltering hot day. After all, Beijing can be a hot and humid city during the summer. But what was once not considered a problem might seem quite inappropriate now.

"With the Olympics just around the corner, people in Beijing are behaving themselves better. The pictures we've just seen were very difficult to capture, and we had to spend almost the entire morning looking for poorly behaved residents. Everybody in Beijing has the feeling that the city is abandoning some of its chronic bad habits, and is ready to welcome guests from around the world."

The Olympic Games will likely attract more foreigners to China than any one single event so far in the country's history. To help spruce up its image, Beijing is promoting a campaign to discourage spitting, littering and queue jumping.

Lao Zhang has been a cleaner in Huichengmen for nearly ten years. He says he's noticed how the streets he works on in the capital city have become more tidy.

He's delighted to see that many people now make the effort to throw rubbish into public trash bins. Now, he often spends the majority of his time picking up withered leaves.

Lao Zhang said "The environment is getting much better now. The passers-by are very nice. Very few of them throw dirty things here and there. So many guests are coming, why not show them a tidy Beijing."

A tidy Beijing is also the goal of the government. Even though it is hard work, the municipality is pleased to see the growing enthusiastic support from its residents.

Mr. Feng, one Beijing citizen said "A good event deserves good manners."

Ms. Liu, another Beijing citizen said "All the garbage is gone. It would be a big shame if some people kept on littering."