Shanghai, July 21(AP) -- Beijing, host of the 2008 Summer Olympics, has signed agreements with four other Chinese cities where soccer preliminaries will take place during the games, the organizing committee said Thursday.

The agreements stipulate formal cooperation and the boosting of communications and planning between Beijing and the four cities: Tianjin and Qinghuangdao, both on the coast just east of Beijing; Shanghai, the country's commercial center and largest city; and Shenyang, the industrial center of the northeast.

Stadiums in Shanghai and Shenyang are being renovated for the games. Qinghuangdao finished work on its new stadium in June of last year and Tianjin started work on its new facility earlier this year.

The eastern port of Qingdao, host of the sailing events, and Hong Kong, where the equestrian events will be held, have yet to sign cooperation agreements.

Beijing says its preparations for the Olympics are running on or ahead of schedule. It expects to spend US$2 billion (€1.64 billion) on venues for the games _ the focus of immense national pride for China's 1.3 billion people and a major source of prestige for the ruling Communist Party.

The government has earmarked a further $24.2 billion (€19.8 billion) for new subway lines, roads and other infrastructure.

The massive construction projects have sparked scattered protests by displaced residents, who complain that they were forcibly evicted and paid too little for lost homes or land.

Police on Wednesday detained two farmers who took part in a protest by hundreds of villagers over land taken for use as a site for an Olympic water sports facility.