Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic
Games (BOCOG), yesterday 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.