A political adviser's suggestion that Shanghai should bid for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games sparked controversy among local residents who think the city might not be able to bear the load.
Wang Xiaoshu, a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said in a speech that Shanghai could request the country's support to bid for the Games to improve its global influence.
The speech was delivered at the ongoing annual session of the municipality's 12th CPPCC on Monday.
Wang said Shanghai has showcased its abilities in innovative planning, social mobilization and crisis management through international events such as the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
"Shanghai is fully capable and must keep striving to become a platform for major international dialogues. The Olympic Games is a perfect opportunity," said Wang, who is deputy director of the Committee for Friendship with Foreign Countries under CPPCC's Shanghai Committee.
There will be mature urban infrastructure in the municipality in 14 years, and its functions and facilities will be completely qualified for holding the Games, Wang said.
But some said the city with a permanent resident population of nearly 24 million, may struggle with the added pressure the Olympics would bring, especially in light of the already high population and traffic density.
"The Shanghai World Expo received more than 70 million visitors, and the Olympic Games would attract even more, which would challenge urban management and security," said Chen Deying, a deputy to the Shanghai People's Congress, the local legislative body.
Official data shows the population density in some central districts in Shanghai at more than 24,000 people per square kilometer, a figure far higher than other world-class cities. By comparison, New York City has only about 11,000 people per sq km.
Chen also said that after Beijing hosted the 2008 Olympic Games, the country should consider the question economically rather than politically.
"It's not meaningful to hold such an event with huge national efforts and financial resources when many social sectors, such as infrastructure construction and people's livelihoods, require economic investment," she said.
Guo Xiong, a deputy to the congress and principal of Shanghai Yan'an High School, said he favors hosting the Games with financial support from businesses - and with a thorough assessment of the use of the fields and venues after the event.
Many residents are opposed to the idea of bidding for the Games, which they say will have negative side-effects on the city.
"Large-scale construction will take place for the venues, which will aggravate congestion and pollution," said You Haoxu, a 28-year-old doctor.
Some people are concerned that residents would be moved to make way for the construction of Olympic venues. More than 18,000 households were moved to suburban districts for the construction of the World Expo area before 2010, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Ma Xinhua, a congress deputy and chief architect of Shanghai Construction Design and Research Institute Co, said holding a grand international event would help broaden citizen's global vision and provide an opportunity to strengthen the city's soft power, or cultural influence on the world.
(China Daily 01/22/2014 page5)
