Halal Food for Beijing Olympics

Islamonline.net -- BEIJING — China is set to establish more than 2000 outlets for halal food across the capital to meet the spiritual needs of Muslim athletes and spectators of the Beijing Olympics.
Some 32m yuan ($4.7m) have been allocated to create 2,053 halal food outlets, Wu Shixiong, deputy director of the capital's municipal people's congress was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Up to 10,000 Muslim athletes, coaches and officials from around the world are expected to visit Beijing during the 17-day Summer Olympics Games that is to be launched next month.

Many more are expected to flock to China to enjoy the games.

In a report to the legislature, Wu said the Muslim visitors will find halal food within easy reach anywhere in Beijing.

The outlets, including restaurants and food shops, will be opened in transport hubs, such as the Capital Airport and the Beijing West Railway Station.

The allocations will also be used to upgrade food processing facilities in major Muslim catering businesses.

The Games Village will provide halal food for Muslim athletes and officials.

The supply of lamb and beef to all halal food outlets could be traced to origin through the supply chain, asserted Wu, who is also the city legislator in charge of supervising food hygiene law enforcement.

Muslims should only eat meat from livestock slaughtered by a sharp knife from their necks, and the name of Allah, the Arabic word for God, must be mentioned.
Religious Training

The police are also receiving religious training.

"Such training could help them to better understand foreigners, make them feel confident in communications and effectively deal with emergencies while showing respect to foreigner's religious customs," Yang Tao, a training teacher, told Xinhua.

More than 5,000 police officers in the Olympic football co-host city of Shenyang, northeast China, are taking a special training educating them about different religions.

The aim is to understand foreigners and avoid insulting their feelings during the Games, added Yang, a professor with China Criminal Police University.

In the course, officers have learnt the history teachings and beliefs of Islam, Christianity and Buddhism.

"They enjoy the arrangement, saying the content was interesting and helpful," said Yang.

The training is the latest of a host of steps taken by the Chinese authorities to accommodate the spiritual needs of the Olympic Games visitors.

Beijing officials have asked local religious leaders to provide and lead religious services for foreigners attending the Games.

The Beijing Olympic Committee has also affirmed it will offer Bible and Qur'an copies in Beijing hotel rooms for foreign visitors.

China has a Muslim population of about 20 million, the majority of which are in the northwestern Xinjiang and Ningxia autonomous regions.