Reuters
 
Beijing, Jul 26: The people here have been asked to rid themselves of bad habits and clean up their language as part of improving the city's environment ahead of next year's Olympic Games. 

Addressing the "ceremony of mobilisation and pledging of the people from all circles for Olympic one-year countdown", Beijing Olympic chief Liu Qi stressed it was up to individuals to ensure the city was ready to host the Games in a year and two weeks' time.

"Every citizen should behave in a civilised manner, cast away ugly habits, clean up their language, clean the environment and clean the air," Liu, president of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, said on Wednesday.

"We should push the environmental campaign and effectively solve the problem of spitting and littering. Every citizen should voluntarily keep the city clean, acting by themselves from now on to clean and beautify our home."

Spitting, littering and the unwillingness of many Chinese to stand in line have been identified as potential blights on the city's image as it prepares to welcome the world next year.