Beijing has started a legislative programme for 2008 Olympic Games to ensure a safe sports gathering.

Two regulations, related to wireless communications and the monitoring of public places, are in the pipeline.

The regulation on wireless frequency use and management aims to ensure the security of radio communications by police and Olympic workers during the Games.

The second regulation is designed to enhance the police's ability to observe public places, according to the Legal Affairs Office of Beijing municipal government.

Kong Fanrong, an official in charge of drafting the first regulation, said the use of radio frequencies in Beijing was "very disordered" at present.

Even the radio navigation system used by the capital's airport is sometimes disrupted by other radio waves from time to time.

Kong said the regulation will clean up the wireless system and establish management guidelines and emergency plans.

A police officer with the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, who declined to be named, admitted that communication between police officers could sometimes be picked up by wireless enthusiasts. But he added: "Secret communications are coded and cannot be easily discerned."

Besides wireless security, enhanced monitoring in public places is another major concern for the city's legislators, said Zhang Guoqiang, an official with the city's legal affairs office.

According to the city's Olympic security plan, there will be a vast computer surveillance network with tens of thousands of hidden cameras in public places where large numbers of people gather, such as supermarkets, public squares and sports venues.

(China Daily 03/18/2006 page2)