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Two policemen patrol with their dogs in the opening ceremony area of the Asian Games in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Thursday. [WANG SONG/XINHUA]?

GUANGZHOU - China has left no stone unturned to ensure a glitch-free security setup for the Asian Games, which opens this Friday in the capital of South China's Guangdong province, authorities said on Thursday.

"The security panel of the Guangzhou Asian Games has adopted effective measures to ensure everyone's safety," said a statement from the security panel, which is headed by Li Dongsheng, a senior official with the Ministry of Public Security.

"We have done our best to provide a safe and favorable environment for the athletes, coaches, officials and audience."

The statement said security for the Asian Games is faced with a great challenge this year, as the highest ever number of athletes, officials and journalists are participating in the event.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has confirmed the participation of 9,704 athletes - 184 more than the previous edition in Doha, Qatar - from 45 countries and regions.

More than 235,000 overseas tourists are expected to arrive in Guangzhou to watch the games.

Arranging security for the opening ceremony, which will be held on a Pearl River island, is no ordinary task, as land, air and sea will have to be covered, the statement said.

Premier Wen Jiabao will attend Friday's opening ceremony, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

About 103,000 police officers will be engaged in security affairs at the games, a police statement said.

Guangdong has reached cooperation agreements with six neighboring provinces and autonomous regions to beef up security, the statement said.

The security team also apologized for any inconvenience the security measures have caused to local residents and asked for their understanding and cooperation.

"Through six years' preparation, everything is ready here in Guangzhou for the Asian Games," said Vice-Mayor Xu Ruisheng, executive deputy secretary-general of the Guangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee.

A grand opening ceremony with strong Lingnan (South China) features is expected to be held in Haixinsha, an island in the Pearl River.

In addition to traditional cultural performances, fireworks show, singing and dancing, the opening ceremony includes a boat parade on the Pearl River.

A flotilla of 45 boats adorned with LED lights will ferry thousands of athletes down the river and into what is certain to be a spectacular Asian Games opening ceremony featuring 6,000 performers.

Organizers said athletes and coaches will cruise along the river in boats bedecked with colorful lights, taking in sights of this southern Chinese city before arriving at the specially built island venue.

The theme of the ceremony is water and it will showcase local culture through music, lights and fireworks.

The boat parade is a way to demonstrate the charm of modern China and the unique Lingnan culture, said Ning Xiaozhou, an organizer of the boat parade program.

"I've been coming to Guangzhou regularly and it's a pleasure to be here and see the beautiful facilities at present," said Raja Randhir Singh, secretary-general of the OCA and member of the International Olympic Committee.

"We are looking forward to an excellent games coming up. For us, the development of the city is exceptional."

Xinhua contributed to this story.

China Daily

(China Daily 11/12/2010 page7)