Beijing has started construction on the venue for the baseball competition of the 2008 Olympic Games. The whole project is due to be completed in 2007.

The Wukesong Baseball Field, one of the nine temporary competition venues planned for the 2008 Games, is a component of the Wukesong Cultural and Sports Center, which is located in the west of the Chinese capital.

The whole project is due to be completed by the end of 2007.

With a seating capacity of 15,000, the baseball field includes two competition pitches and one training pitch.

In line with the themes of "Green Olympics", "Hi-tech Olympics" and "People's Olympics", new technologies and green concepts are incorporated into the design and construction work, such as the utilization of geothermal energy and solar energy, green construction materials and a rain water-recycling system, said the organizers.

A total of 37 competition venues will be used for the 2008 Games.Fourteen of them were brand new facilities, 14 were existing structures that were being upgraded, and nine were temporary.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2005)