China Daily Website held a press conference on May 25, 2005 to formally announce an activity named "Use Accurate English to Welcome the Olympics – Public Bilingual Sign Standardization Drive" in major Chinese cities, beginning from Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, and Guangzhou.

The activity aims to prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games by creating a better language learning environment, and more importantly, enhancing the nation's international image.

Organized by China Daily Website, the activity is supported by the Cultural and Education Section of the British Council and the Public Affairs Section of the Canadian Embassy. China's famous universities will participate as well, such as the University of International Business and Economics, Shanghai International Studies University, Xi'an International Studies University, and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.

Reportedly, students of a Beijing junior high school found 91 mistakes on bilingual signposts in the Wangfujing and Xidan areas (two of Beijing's most prosperous areas) last year.

Such errors in English usage as these happen because there are no uniform criterion for bilingual use.

Through this activity, we at China Daily Website hope when athletes from all over world arrive in Beijing in 2008, they will find that all the English signposts have clear and standard English, whether signs at tourist sites or highway signs.

Also, China Daily Website hope the entire society will pay more attention to this problem, find the mistakes, and correct them. Let’s make a real international Beijing for the Olympic Games!

Here We Go!

For more information, please visit www.chinadaily.com.cn