By Deng Jingyin
During the Asian Games in Guangdong Province next month, one sport will be prohibited: the hunting of civet cats and other wild animals.
Authorities will implement a ban during the games to improve the image of the province, which is busy preparing for the opening ceremony on November 12.
The Guangdong Provincial Forestry Bureau issued a notice Tuesday saying that 14 departments are working together to prohibit the hunting of wild animals in the province from October 1 to December 31.
The ban will fulfill its international conventions during the Asian Games.
According to the regulations, authorities will inspect nature conservation areas, wild life sanctuaries, areas where hunting is banned, major wildlife habitats and breeding grounds in Guangdong.
They will focus on the western and eastern coastal areas to provide a safe environment for wild animals.
"November is a month that focuses on the protection of wildlife and the theme of 2010 is protecting wildlife to welcome the Asian Games, so we will carry out a series of activities to protect our wild animals," a Guangdong Provincial Forestry Bureau worker told the Global Times Wednesday.
Furthermore, they will remove illegal traps such as bird clips and bird nets. Related departments will investigate the trafficking, trading and use of wild animals.
"It's a good move to impose a ban on wild animal hunting, but why just ban it during the Asian Games? Is it just a show for the world? I suggest we make laws and rules on wild animal hunting in China," Long Zhendong, a Guangzhou resident, told the Global Times Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Yang Shu'an, deputy head of the General Administration of Sport and the games' organizing committee's vice president, said preparation for the games will be completed soon.
Test runs of all 53 competition venues will be held simultaneously on October 16, 23 and 29, which will mark the completion of the preparation work, Yang said.
All the competition and 17 training venues have passed functionality tests. Athletes will be able to train in the venues from November 5, Yang said, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
A total of 10,156 athletes from 45 Asian countries and regions will compete in 476 events in 42 sports.
