Clearing the Air 让北京天空变得更兰

Dean

Chinese officials are defending the air quality that Olympic athletes（运动员）will compete in this summer at the Games in Beijing.

\"You can be assured（保证）of clean air in August,\" Vice Mayor Ji Lin promised this week. \"We have full confidence\" of that, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi echoed.

Their comments came one day after Ethiopian marathoner（马拉松选手）Haile Gebrselassie, the world record-holder, announced that he would skip the Beijing Games because of health concerns. Gebrselassie, holder of two Olympic gold medals, has asthma（哮喘）.

China reportedly has spent $17 billion to ease smog in and around Beijing. Starting in July, vehicle traffic in the city will be reduced by almost half.

Satisfied that conditions are improving, British athletes will not wear special masks when competing, officials decided.