China to eradicate queue-jumping

By Steve Jackson
BBC News

The 11th day of every month will be "no queue-jumping" in Beijing

China has launched a campaign to try to eradicate queue-jumping in the capital ahead of the Olympic games in Beijing next year.

Thousands of volunteers have been out on the streets trying to persuade people to wait in line in order to present a better image to visitors.

The campaign was launched under the slogan: "It's civilised to queue, it's glorious to be polite."

The Olympics is seen as an opportunity to showcase China to the world.

Volunteers wearing red sashes set up stages in squares and on street corners in more than a dozen districts of the city.

Wide support

Hundreds of people gave clenched fist salutes to pledge their allegiance to the campaign which seemed to be enjoying wide support from members of the public.

The Olympics is coming... the foreigners will get a good impression of the Chinese if we behave ourselves Beijing resident Pan Chunming

Beijing resident Zhang Jing said: "This is very necessary because it is a sign of civilisation. China is a country with a great civilisation but we still need to improve our manners and behaviour.

"Our whole country should improve the quality of its citizens."

Another citizen, Pan Chunming, said: "The Olympics is coming... the foreigners will get a good impression of the Chinese if we behave ourselves."

The queue-jumping campaign will take place in Beijing on the 11th day of every month from now on, demonstrating that no detail is too small to escape the authorities' attention.

Officials in Beijing also want to tackle other social ills including spitting and dropping litter.