A total of 74,615 volunteers from 98 countries and regions are serving at venues for the ongoing Olympic Games, according to the latest statistics announced in Beijing on Sunday.

Of the volunteers, 73,195 were from Chinese mainland, 299 from Hong Kong, 95 from Macao, 91 from Taiwan and 935 from other countries, said China's Central Commission for Guiding Ethic and Cultural Progress on Sunday.

The volunteers were providing services at competition venues, non-competition venues and training places for athletes and audience, smooth transport, security check, medical services, interpretation and etiquette services.

In addition, Beijing has 400,000 city volunteers and more than 1 million social volunteers.

Juan Antonio Samaranch, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) spoke highly of the volunteers' contribution to the Games and deemed their hard work as an important component of successful Olympic Games, when he met with 130 Chinese students who were on their Olympic tour on Saturday.

He himself also became one of the volunteers after he accepted a "volunteer badge" at the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2008)