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Enterprises, institutions and people from all walks of life in Guangzhou have already donated 27.4 million yuan (US$3.3 million) to support the city's hosting of the 2010 Asian Games, municipal government sources have revealed.

The capital of South China's Guangdong Province was selected on July 1 by the Olympic Council of Asia as the venue of the 2010 Asian Games.

The donations, from over 200 enterprises and institutions, will assist in the city's infrastructure construction for the games.

One generous firm is Guangzhou Honda Auto Co Ltd which, together with its 200 sales centres nationwide, has donated 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million).

"We sincerely thank people from all walks of life and the enterprises for their generous support for the bid and the construction needed for the Games," Guangzhou Mayor Zhang Guangning said yesterday.

Zhang said the city's robust economic development has laid solid foundation for the infrastructure construction.

"However, people believe that the Games will also benefit them, therefore the organizing committee of the 2010 Asian Games will encourage people and enterprises to continue showing their support," said Zhang.

The city will invest a huge amount of money in the run-up to the event to improve its infrastructure, and build an athletes' village and a new railway station, as well as completing the second phase of the new Baiyun International Airport.

Guangzhou also applied for central government approval for a series of large-scale projects after it won the bid for the major sports event.

"Besides the infrastructure construction, the city will also speed up its efforts to reconstruct its old urban districts and improve the environments and the development of service sectors within the next six years, in a bid to enhance its image," said Zhang.

Editor: Catherine