The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Beijing

Beijing residents have been asked to give up their seats for the needy on public transport as China tries to improve the manners of the capital's citizens ahead of the Summer Olympics, state media said on Friday.

In a drive to reform behaviour, Beijing has instituted the 22nd of every month as "Give up your seat for the elderly, pregnant women, children, and the disabled" day, and distributed millions of etiquette pamphlets to commuters.

"We are Olympics hosts and should give visitors from home and abroad a good impression," the China Daily quoted Beijing native Bai Meng as saying.

"Seat-giving Day" and "Queuing Day" are just a few of the campaigns Beijing has launched in recent months in a bid to "civilise" public servants, taxi drivers and ordinary people.

"Queuing Day has been welcomed by the people, and this latest move will further our efforts to improve public transportation," Liu Xiaoming, deputy chief of Beijing municipal committee of communications, was quoted by the China Daily as saying.

In the run-up to the Olympics this August, the government has also been campaigning to curb queue-jumping, spitting, littering and even speaking loudly in public, fearful such behaviour could mar the city's image.