No Smoking Ban

Restaurants, bars and Internet cafes in Beijing have been exempted from a proposed public smoking ban in response to a backlash from business owners.

However, these venues will be required to separate smoking and non-smoking areas from May 1 as part of the new regulations.

Beijing had planned to ban or restrict smoking in most public places, as part of its pledge to hold a smoke-free Olympics.

Only government offices, schools, museums, hospitals and sports venues will be designated smoke-free areas.

No Smoking

China will announce no-smoking rules this week, for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, to coincide with World No Tobacco Day.

Zhang Jianshu, head of the Beijing Health Bureau's publicity department, said:

"We have been in final talks with the International Olympic Committee and other groups to fine-tune draft regulations that will be released on Thursday.

We are very much at the beginning stage of the battle against tobacco in China and a smoke-free Olympics will hopefully help us get the message out."

The ban is expected to cover all 37 competition venues other training sites, during the Games; as well as the Olympic village, designated Olympic hotels, restaurants, and entertainment areas.

Quite how well this will go down in country that loves to smoke, remains to be seen.