Regardless of whether or not Beijing wins the Olympic bid, raising the English level of its citizens will make Beijing a more international city.

A city with 'so much history and culture deserves to share its treasures with the world.

Of course, the number one treasure of Beijing is its people!

Millions of ordinary people in Beijing started to learn English when the capital announced its bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

Learning and speaking English is "hot" among residents of this 3,000-year-old city.

From schools to factories, from residences to government offices, men and women, old and young, are delving into their "ABCs" with enthusiasm.

Many English textbooks with the Olympic bid logo on the cover were published and sold in the city.

Books teaching basic idioms and expressions for daily communication are the most popular.