Local governments, especially of host and co-host cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianji, Qinhuangdao, Shenyang and Qingdao have been asked to step up efforts to promote "civilised manners" and "social volunteering".

"They should also improve public order and both urban and rural environment", the publicity department and office of spiritual civilisation development of the Communist Party of China central committee said here, according to official Xinhua news agency.

Conscious of presenting a good image of its cities during Beijing Olympics, China had launched a series of programmes including publicity campaigns for social volunteering, a knowledge contest for promoting good manners, public-interest advertisements and finding role models for good ethics.