Beijing Rains are Under Control, But Will Protestors Flood Out Olympic Cheer?
Laura Robertson
CBN News
April 27, 2007
While
weather issues in Beijing seem to be under control for the start of the Opening Ceremonies, there is a new firestorm from activists who are angered by some of China's policies. The most explosive right now is the announcement of the Olympic torch relay.
The torch relay will span the globe, and include stops in over 100 Chinese cities, as well as other locations worldwide including London, San Francisco, Tanzania, Argentina, and Pakistan. But the relay will also go through more controversial locations, like North Korea, Tibet, and Taiwan- China's favorite triumverate. These inclusions have opened up Pandora's box of complaints and charges against China and its hosting the Olympic Games.
Part of the Olympic tour of China includes Taipei, which would seem fine on the surface, but has caused some tensions between Beijing and Taipei. The Taiwanese government would actually be thrilled to be a part of it, under one condition: Beijing would have to recognize Taiwan's sovereignty. Beijing isn't too excited by that idea, and
Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-chairman of China's Olympic organizing committee was "shocked" by Taiwan's response to the relay. He doesn't want Taiwan to politicize the Olympics, and says the relay is just "a sports and cultural activity."
Both the Taipei and Beijing Olympic committees are willing to renegotiate the situation to find a solution that makes everybody happy, but it will probably take more than the "Olympic Spirit" embodied by the torch relay to solve the deep-seated issues between Taiwan and Mainland China.
While the North Korean government doesn't have complaints with its inclusion in the torch relay, many human rights activists are not too happy about China's relationship with North Korea. Even this week, human rights groups within the
North Korean Freedom Coalition gathered in Washington to draw attention to some of the problems in North Korea. Tomorrow they're even protesting outside the Chinese Embassy and writing letters to the Ambassador regarding the repatriation of people fleeing North Korea.
Tibetan human rights protestors are even more angry about China's involvement in Tibet, and have used the relay announcement to demonstrate. Five activists, who you can see on this video,
climbed Mount Everest to protest the torch relay going through Tibet. According to a press release from
Students for a Free Tibet "
The International Olympic Committee has no business promoting the Chinese government’s political agenda by allowing the torch to be run through Tibet."
Officials from Beijing, did not really appreciate the protestors' sentiments, and all five of them were arrested for intentions to "split the country." They were just released today in accordance with Chinese law.
As we get closer to 2008, China will be under the microscope and more vulnerable to international criticism. There will probably be many more protests and more controversy. On the flip side, China has an unprecedented opportunity to use the international media's attention to its advantage. Chinese culture, economic development and technology have been somewhat ignored or misunderstood by much of the world. China can use the Olympics to reshape the way people worldwide perceive the nation.
While the announcement of the Olympic torch relay was overshadowed in the U.S. by some of the controversies and protests, the greater focus on China is only beginning. So let the games begin!
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