Foreigners invited to walk in Beijing mountains

Organizers of a mountain-walking festival held annually on the western fringes of Beijing say they hope to attract large numbers of foreign participants to the event this year.

The 4th Beijing International Walking Festival, will take place on Sept 14 and 15, and will cover various routes around the mountainous areas of Mentougou district, to the west of the capital.

Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Xu Qiang, secretary-general of the Beijing NGO Association for International Exchangers, one of the organizers of the event, said that efforts were being made to attract more foreigners, as well as local residents. Special efforts were being made to ensure the event meets international standards this year, he said.

More than 1,000 foreign participants, including 100 professional competition walkers, are expected to attend the event, which involves both competitive and non-competitive events.

Routes will range in length from 10 km to 100 km and are designed for participants of different fitness levels.

In May, Beijing joined the IML Walking Association, an international non-profit body, and organizers of the Beijing events hope the new partnership mean more walkers visiting from other outside China.

Registration began on Thursday, and those wishing to take part can sign up at the official website, bjwalking.com. The cost of registration is 150 yuan ($24).