The Unilever Century Woods will be set up at the China Century Altar in Beijing to help create a green atmosphere for the capital's bid for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games.

Unilever (China) Limited held an opening ceremony Sunday and donated 500,000 yuan (US$ 60,460) to establish the wooded area, which will include a 5,000-square-metre lawn and 120 Chinese pines, cedars and lace bark pines at the China Century Altar.

Unilever is committed to helping improve China's environment and has planted more than 500,000 trees throughout the country, said Bruno Lemagne, president of Unilever (China) Limited, adding that Unilever will give full support to Beijing's Olympic bid.

"Today's activity serves as a perfect model for Beijing's green initiative for the Olympics," said Wang Guangtao, vice-mayor of Beijing.

"I hope that our citizens, businesses and society as a whole can act and contribute to both our campaign of bringing a blue sky and clean water to Beijing as well for Beijing's 2008 Olympic bid.''

The vice-mayor was among those attending the ceremony, including several of China's Olympic athletes and middle school students from Beijing.

Sunday's move is a part of "Clean Water and Green Mountains for China Program,'' which was launched in June.

The five-year program aims to fight desertification and carry out education on environmental protection across China.

(China Daily 10/25/2000)