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China cuts by almost 80% expenses for National Games

Chinese authorities decided to take a new approach to the organization of these sport events

BEIJING, July 11 (Itar-Tass) - The overall amount of allocations for the 12th National Games in China will be cut by 78% and will make no more than 800 million yuan (about 130 million U.S. dollars). The Xinhua news agency has made public the relevant statement of the organizing committee of the competitions on Thursday.

The initial budget, which was allocated for the competitions, amounted to 3.6 billion yuan (590 million U.S. dollars).

It was reported that the Chinese authorities decided “to take a new approach to the organization of these sport events, opening and closing ceremonies of the National Games, the construction of stadiums, the holding of a flame torch relay of the games and the implementation of other projects, which are related with the sport competition, being primarily guided by the principles of fund-saving and the achievement of practical results.”

An opening ceremony will be held in the daytime that will cut the expenses for fireworks. Meanwhile, aggregate expenditures for opening and closing ceremonies of the National Games will amount to nine million yuan (about 1.5 million U.S. dollars) that is ten percent of initial budget.

Conferences and exhibitions will not be held during the National Games. The number of foreign guests is halved and banquets will not be held for them and the souvenirs will not be prepared for them.

The 12th National Games will be held from August 31 to September 12 in the north-eastern province Liaoning.

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