Beijing learning manners ahead of Olympics

BEIJING, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Beijing residents are being educated in everyday manners, including "audience etiquette," ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics, Xinhua reported Tuesday.

City Mayor Wang Qishan said the most troublesome task for the city in preparing for the Olympic Games is the improvement of its residents' manners.

Surveys have shown that poor sportsmanship -- including booing and swearing at players -- has tarnished the image of the Chinese capital. Especially damaging were the anger and violence aimed at Japan's soccer team when it defeated China in the Asian Games in Beijing in 2004.

The Beijing Municipal Women's Federation is campaigning to teach local people how to behave properly and avoid conflict, beginning with family members and neighbors.

The group is distributing a cartoon book containing stories of well-known figures -- such as Socrates, Madame Curie and Johann Strauss -- that illustrates how to handle relationships between husband and wife, parent and child, and neighbors.

Other bad habits authorities hope to correct include spitting, littering, violating traffic regulations and passengers jostling each other on buses, the report said.