On July 9th, the "2008 Guangzhou Asian Games Media Forum" was held in Guangzhou. Leaders of media groups, the new media industry executives, experts and scholars gave speeches on "new media communication and brand promotion of the Asian Games". The new media's unique advantages and functions in the Asian Games were also discussed.

Municipal Government Deputy Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the Guangzhou Asia Games Organization Committee Gu Shiyang briefed the latest developments on the preparations for the Games. He said that the preparatory work has entered the third phase of the master plan. All venues including the Asian Games Town have begun construction and 62 projects have been initiated.

The field layout has been finally confirmed after several cycles of changes. The Asian Games Town officially began construction in November last year and the land leveling has been completed. In November 2009, one year before the Asian Games, the basic construction of the town would be completed and example accommodation facilities would be finished. By the end of 2009, all the new venues and renovation would be completed and in May 2010 trial operation would begin.

This month, the Guangzhou Asian Games information system and the broadcasting company were formally confirmed. The plan collection for the opening ceremony will be completed by the end of August and the winning plan would be released by the end of this year. The promotion of the Guangzhou Asian Games would be fully conducted two years before its opening, after the close of the Beijing Olympic Games.

The implementation program of the "host city action plan", which was released last year, has been passed at the municipal government executive meeting. The Guangzhou Asian Games, altogether 42 events including 28 Olympic events and 14 non-Olympic events, would be the largest games in history, since the Olympic Council of Asia determined that the beach events and other events would be held separately in the future.