The Beijing International Media Center (BIMC), which will serve more than 5,000 non-accredited reporters during the Games, opened a Muslim restaurant and worship room on Monday.

BIMC official Cui Yaozhong said about 150 of all non-accredited reporters registered at the center were Muslims from both home and abroad.

Muslim reporters could dine at the restaurant with an identity card. Each lunch or dinner would costs 1 US dollar, much cheaper than any Beijing restaurant and the Main Press Center (MPC) near the Olympic village where accredited reporters could dine.

"Menus are fixed, containing scores of food categories featuring Muslim dishes, boiled mutton and popular Beijing snacks. They change over each week," said Cui. Signs were in Chinese and English.

The 50-seat dining room was renovated under the directorship of the Beijing Islamic Association.

It is operated by the Huatian Company's Youyishun Restaurant, a long-established Beijing brand, which will celebrate its 60 anniversary on Aug 8 when the Olympic Games begins.

Xia Aidong, the company's vice manager, told Xinhua that they were experienced in catering for large events, having served the 21st Summer Universiade in 2001, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2006.

"We have closely followed the BOCOG requirements, such as keeping food samples for 48 hours in case of any safety tests," said Xia, a member of Hui ethnic group and vice-chairman of the China Muslim Cooking Association.

Waiters, all wearing light-green robes and headgear, were trained in line with the Olympic standard. The chefs, all Muslims, wear worship caps.

"The dining room is smoke-free," he said.

The Muslim worship room on the same floor was converted from a quiet, westward hotel room with white blankets and shoe holders inside. It had been overseen by the Islamic association.

Osman Erol, Beijing Bureau Chief of Turkey's Cihan News Agency, said, "It's convenient and reassuring for Muslims to dine and worship here."

Two kilometers away from the Main Press Center, the BIMC will accommodate journalists without Olympic media accreditation. It has a large dining area for all reporters containing a variety of foods.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2008)