Xiamen counts down to BRICS Summit

Chen Mi has been learning how to stand properly all afternoon.

She and hundreds of others practice standing and bowing, the gestures broken down into slow motion with painstaking detail. Many have sore muscles after the three-hour class.

Chen, a sophomore translation major at Jimei University, is being trained by veteran flight attendants for the upcoming BRICS Summit, scheduled for Sept 3 to 5 in Xiamen, a coastal city in East China's Fujian Province,

"Our feet ache a lot after standing still for just over 10 minutes, but we are young and can recover the next day," Chen said.

In addition to etiquette, the volunteers also learn first aid, foreign languages, and cultural training to better serve guests from the BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

"Each of the BRICS countries has a distinct culture, and we hope the volunteers here can get more comprehensive, customized training rather than just simple physical training," said Zhang Xin, chief attendant at Xiamen Airlines.

Preparations are in full swing one month ahead of the Ninth BRICS Summit, expected to attract thousands of representatives from China and abroad.

A total of 2,000 volunteers are undergoing two months of training, while construction crews race against the clock to complete facilities.

A 15,000-square-meter media center is almost ready, with 15 functional spaces including studios, a public work area, as well as a 24-hour canteen.

Renovation work on the city's arterial roads and some parks is also under way.

The city's old asphalt roads are worn and pose potential safety risks, so the local government is replacing them with environmentally friendly, noise-reduction materials to enhance safety and ride comfort.

Bailuzhou Park in downtown Xiamen has built a 3D music fountain with more than 1,000 LED lights, which has become the new after-dinner gathering spot for locals.