April 7, 2004 - BOCOG president Liu Qi visited the construction sites of the National Stadium and the National Swimming Center, and then toured the site for the Olympic Forest Park. He declared he was very satisfied that construction projects are all running smoothly under an efficient mechanism.

Use more Chinese steel for Olympic construction

The construction site of the National Stadium was bustling with activity. Green nets covered the ground and 16 drilling machines were in full swing with their huge arms waving energetically. Stepping on the muddy road, Liu Qi and his party approached a working drilling machine, and thoroughly inquired about construction progress. On the steel structure foundation, Liu Qi asked about the quality, site of production, supply, and testing of steel used in the project. He said China's annual steel output has exceeded 200 million tonnes, and Olympic construction should use more high quality Chinese steel.

Quality is top priority

Later in a discussion with relevant officials from the BOCOG and the Beijing municipality about future development of Olympic construction projects, Liu Qi said Olympic venue construction is a crucial part of Beijing's Olympic preparation, and it has drawn nationwide and even worldwide attention. He noted that quality is the top priority for all construction projects, and that the relationship between project deadlines, investments, and quality control must be well planned and coordinated. He hoped all construction projects would be completed with first-class quality to embody the themes of "Green Olympics", "Hi-tech Olympics", and "People's Olympics".

Effective cost control

Liu Qi also hoped construction costs can be effectively controlled while project quality is guaranteed. He said construction projects should try to optimize their costs in their preliminary design plans. The key to reducing construction costs lies in utilizing as much Chinese construction material as possible. BOCOG should cooperate with Chinese enterprises, research institutes, and universities to solve technological problems.