BEIJING – Beijing’s readiness to handle a “dirty bomb” attack during next summer’s Olympic Games will be tested during an upcoming drill, city officials say.

The exercise, to be held next month outside an unspecified Olympic venue, is one of a number of drills planned ahead of the 2008 Games, said Shan Qingsheng of the city’s emergency response office.

On Tuesday, police tested their response to a hostage-taking, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Ministry of Public Security. In the drill, police had to rescue more than 20 fellow officers pretending to be Olympic athletes held captive in a building.

Xinhua also reported Wednesday that the Third Hospital of Beijing University had been designated to treat injuries in case of a so-called dirty bomb, which combines radioactive materials with conventional explosives.

“If Beijing is hit by a dirty bomb, we will be able to provide more than 100 beds for the injured,” said Zhang Shulan, vice director of the national medical agency responsible for treating victims exposed to radiation.

The reports apparently were intended to address the international perception that China hasn’t made security a high priority. The concerns stem in part from the secrecy surrounding police preparations for the Olympics and the limited amount of money allocated for security.

China has allocated $300 million for security, state media have reported. That’s only about 20 percent of the amount Greece spent on security at the 2004 Athens Games.

Liu Shaowu, head of security for the city’s Olympic Organizing Committee, has said costs will be kept low by relying on domestic providers for surveillance systems and other necessary equipment.