Some one million Beijing people have participated in a grassroots campaign to learn the English language and some other languages over the past two years, amidst the capital city's fervor over the 2008 Beijing summer Olympic Games, local sources said Friday.
Li Honghai, vice director of a non-governmental committee promoting local residents learning to speak foreign languages, said his organization plans to take various measures to increase the local foreign language-speaking population so as to better prepare the city for the Olympics.
At present, signs and pointers by the roadside, and in local subway stations and parks have been printed in both Chinese and English. Similar efforts will also be made in Beijing's airport, museums, exhibition halls and bus stations.
More foreign language programs will be broadcast on local TV and radio stations and language training will provided to staff of foreign-related industries.
A survey conducted in March 2002 shows 3.12 million local residents can read or speak in simple English. Among the English literate people, 1.41 million are students.
(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2002)
