Better Services for City Marathons

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Better Services for City Marathons

Economic Daily April 18

Marathons have become increasingly popular in cities across China in recent years and many have hosted such events.

Mayors wish to improve their cities’ image and promote tourism through marathons. Nevertheless, there has been criticism of host cities after almost every event. For instance, during the marathon held in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, on April 10, more than 3,000 out of 20,000 participants received medical treatment during the run. Hospital staff stationed along the route had to buy medicine in nearby drug stores, owing to an inadequate amount of medical supplies.

A marathon is not simply a sports event but a comprehensive and extensive test of a city’s public service abilities. The planning of the route for the contest, management of transportation during the event, and services provided for athletes all test local governance. For instance, can host cities avoid traffic congestion caused by certain roads being blocked off during the run?

In spite of being an international and fashionable event, a marathon alone is inadequate to promote local tourism. It should be combined with local culture and history in order to attract tourists and improve a city’s image.

Rocket scientist Liang Sili died at the age of 91 in Beijing on April 14. Liang, born in August 1924, was a renowned missile and rocket control expert.

Liang led the development and testing of several types of launch vehicle control systems. He was a member of both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Academy of Astronautics.

President Xi Jinping offered condolences to Liang’s family. “He made important contributions to China’s aerospace cause,” Xi said. “His patriotism, dedication and rigorous scholarship deserve our respect.”

Liang graduated from Purdue University in the United States in 1945 and received a PhD degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1949. He then returned to China where he pursued a decades-long research career that helped lay the foundation for the development of the country’s space program.