The Beijing Olympic Tower with its new decoration. [Xinhuanet.com]

An 18-metre-tall Olympic emblem has been affixed to the front of the building, on the middle section of North Fourth Ring Road, and its east side and west side each displays a 64.9-metre-tall, 8.4-metre-wide piece of fibre banner with "Beijing 2008" emblazoned on it.

The 19-storey tower, which houses the headquarters of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) and will be the command centre during the 2008 Olympic Games, is indeed a spectacle to behold.

"The building is a pure sight to me. It looks like a towering giant, sending a gentle smile to me its 'Dancing Beijing' emblem is like a beauty mark while its 'Beijing 2008' emblems are like two long ears," said Bian Haihong, a local policeman. "I really like it."

The new Olympic logo was added to the front and the east side on June 28. BOCOG moved into the building in Haidian District in January of this year to accommodate an expanding work volume. A similar decorative banner was installed on its western wall on Saturday.

"As the capital of China and a city with a history of more than 3,000 years, Beijing is an amazing mix of old and new. It is the political and culture centre of China, and also an international city. The new building and the new image have added a new sort of life to it," Bian said.

The new office building, located near the central Olympic area, is a well-equipped office building that not only meets the needs of BOCOG's major preparatory undertakings, but also will facilitate Beijing Olympic Partners' provision of services for the Games.

Beijing was elected the host city of the 2008 Summer Games on July 13, 2001.

Chen Zeng, a migrant worker from East China's Anhui Province, said: "I have worked in Haidian District in various restaurants for more than four years. I have seen many new high-rises here. But when I first saw the Olympic Tower, I thought it was peculiar, unlike the others. Maybe it is because of my feelings.

"As the command centre for the 2008 Olympics, it looks so special to me," he said.

"With the newly added Olympic logo, the Olympic Tower looks like a towering Chinese, opening her arms to welcome all visitors and forthcoming Games participants. I'm proud of the Olympic Games here," Chen said.

Officials from the BOCOG Culture and Ceremonies Department who are in charge of image-building said the whole project aims to enhance the image of the Olympic Tower.

Greening work in the square in front of the tower is also in full swing.

Meanwhile, construction of major Olympic projects including the National Stadium and National Aquatics Centre is progressing smoothly and according to schedule while also satisfying quality guarantees, BOCOG officials said.

                                                 (China Daily 07/21/2006 page5)