Olympic Games Beijing 2008

The Olympic torch is visiting the last countries before entering China. The last hours outside of China were busy.

In Nagano, the host of the 1998 winter Olympics, the route was changed. The Buddhist temple Zenkoji did not want to be part of the route. Japan also refused that the flame would be escorted by the Chinese police or BOCOG members. Pro Tibet manifestations were peacefully held. Some garbage was thrown at the flame and at the huge number of Chinese supporters. China and Japan are huge rivals, more since the Japanese occupation and the Nanjing massacre. But here, everything was smooth. China and Japan can keep on doing business.

The South Korean stop was one of the most violent. More than 6000 Chinese students gathered to support the Olympics in Beijing. North Korean demonstrated against how they were sent back to North Korea from China. There brothers from South Korea showed how Human rights were not respected in China. Chinese students reacted by throwing stones and cans at them. Two Americans, wearing a free Tibet t-shirt, were mugged, Koreans were beaten down. Incredible! Chinese students attacking Koreans on their own soil. Relations between these two countries are going to be tense. China’s nationalism is at its paroxysm.

The route through North Korea was the first ever there. It was a huge party for the people who are imprisoned by the government. Only one TV channel, one radio station that you can not turn off. A member of the 1966 football squad lit a vase at the end of the relay. Bright day for the Olympics and for the people.

In 100 days, the games will begin. The torch is in Vietnam today. Two people have already been arrested.

China suffers from the image of its party. The western world does not like the totalitarian image of China. Months from the opening ceremony, the marketing machine is on.

Image! That is what the Beijing Olympic bid was based on. The city turned to a XXIst century city by destroying most of what was from the past. It erased its memory. For the Olympics, Beijing had to be clean and modern; same thing for the sports facilities. It was already discussed a couple of weeks ago. Since the Olympic torch relay, the image of China is worst that ever in western countries. China is rejected by most of western populations.
Last week, the Chinese government recruited two western companies to help them make China a better, a peaceful place in the eyes of the western world. Putting the human rights cause aside, these companies will help China become a “nice” country, pleased to welcome the foreigners during the games.

Real Eyes Realize Real Lies…

Since the Olympic torch was in Paris, a few anti-French demonstrations have started in China. The French people disrespected China by embracing the free Tibet cause.

Tibet is a part of China. French dissident can not understand why the Chinese government continues to prevent the Tibetan from independence and freedom, not only territorial independence but cultural freedom. From the Chinese side, it will be difficult to recognize any independence or autonomy. Giving autonomy to Tibet would encourage other minorities, like the Uyghur to ask for more freedom. It will also be the recognition of the difference between the Han, the main people of China, and the Tibetan people. What will happen and what did happened in Lhasa last March? What was the role played by the western media? What is the Chinese people reaction and what is it worth? Olympics, politics, a lot of people get it wrong.

March 10th 2008 was the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising. Was it linked to the Olympics? Was the Lhasa demonstration against the Olympics? Maybe not. The latest uprising on March 14th shows a problem in Tibet. Little footage was received and different interpretation can bias our judgment. Foreign journalists were forbidden in Tibet, the only one allowed were Chinese journalists. Sources said that a few gunshots were fired, not as much as the western media reported. However the week after between 150 and 300 Tibetan activists, journalists and their families were arrested. They are held somewhere. Some are going to be killed, some will have their organs removed and sold on the black market, like some Falung gong had. On the other hand the western media showed footage of the Nepalese police to illustrate the Tibetan looting. False information from both sides!

The western people took to heart the Tibetan cause and the Human rights in China by attacking the Olympic torch. The Chinese took that against an aggression against the Games and the people. Reactions and boycott against French companies show the Chinese nationalism. The length of visas has been shortened from 3 months to a month stay. Even Chinese students demonstrated against the boycott of the games. Everything was orchestrated by the embassies and the Party. The Beijing games are important to the Chinese people. It is an honour for them to hold the games. They are maybe more important than Tibet and the recognition of its identity. Even the tensions between China and France seem to be less tense than a week ago. By doing so and saying it would boycott French products, China made France be on its side. The contracts and the economy are larger than Human rights. On the people side, they will follow what the government says. In a few months, everything will be forgotten.

Even though no one thinks of a boycott from the athletes, the Chinese students living abroad, sent by their embassies demonstrated for the games and against a general boycott. The games can not be political. Demonstrating against the boycott becomes a political act. The human adventure lived by the athletes is one thing, but for the Chinese people the only thing that will remain is a great propaganda and the medals won by its athletes.

In 4 months, competition will not only be on the field. Equipments brands will represent the best athletes and nations. The two biggest, Nike and Adidas will also face competition from the Chinese giant LiNing.

Europe, the US and Asia, represented by Adidas, Nike and LiNing will try to beat sales record during the Olympics. Nike is, for now, the biggest and most successful company. The Oregon based firm recently bought out the UK firm Umbro. Umbro was a major actor on the soccer field. Nike is increasing the technology in products.

Nike also has street credits, releasing limited Beijing2008 sneakers editions. Here is a few of them.

In this war, Adidas seems to pedal backwards. Even though they released a retro line, called Originals, they lost a huge contact with the French football federation, with which they were under contact with for 30 years. But Adidas is doing well on the Chinese market. They are under contract with the Chinese Olympic national team. They also plan to open two new stores on the Chinese territory until 2010. Moreover, Adidas is selling the official licensed Beijing 2008 apparel. Last strength of the Adidas team is Yao Ming. The Chinese all star player is the most famous athlete in China.

LiNing is the Chinese sports brand. Unknown in the western world a couple of years ago, they are making a push. They sponsor the tennis superstar Ivan Ljubicic. They also sponsor the Argentine and Spanish basketball teams. But there biggest “coup” was signing Shaquille O’Neal and releasing his signature shoe.

The Olympic torch was in Tanzania last week. Everything went as planned, no free Tibet demonstrations. Let’s come back on the recent links between China and Africa.

Is China, after Europe and the US, the latest country to steal the African continent? The torch and the way everything was so smooth showed how the Chinese and Tanzanian government get along. China has turned to Africa because of the huge Chinese oil demand. China is the 2nd biggest oil consumer after the US and its natural resources are very limited. Thanks to free 1st class travels for African officials, free education in China for Gabonese, Congolese and so, China has already started taking advantage of Africa. China invests in African oil companies, builds Stadium and hospitals. The last Olympic relay was held in a “made in China” stadium.

The 2nd major point is the arms sales. The main customers are Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Tanzania…the Olympic stage. According to the Overseas Development Institute, China has delivered at least thirteen covert shipments of weapons labelled as agricultural equipment to Dar-Es-Salaam in the past year.

Africa, watch out, China is gonna worn you out!

Two weeks after the Olympic torch relay in Paris and the fiasco we all know it was, China and its people start answering to their European counterparts. Foreign industries and expats are the targets of the Chinese.

Here goes the rumour. Mc Donalds, KFC, LVMH would support the Tibetan regime. None of it is true. Sponsors are quiet. Coca Cola did not do any advertising for the torch relay. All of them are praying for quiet and happy games in August. China started taking measures against foreigners a few days after the European stage of the relay. Business and tourists’ visa holders are now allowed to stay for a month instead of the three before. A lot of people start wondering about leaving the country. Measures were taken against France; France the smart one, the lesson giver. In the bar district in Beijing, many foreigners were controlled by the police. Some were taken to the police station for bad behaviour. France is China’s favourite target. They need China more than China needs it. They only export the pleasure goods such as wine, cheese and fashion, which are unique to that country. They also import many stupid; I know everything and treat Chinese people in a bad way, Frenchmen. Anyway, the Chinese are boycotting the Carrefour supermarkets. They are calling the population not to go on May1st. Some are calling to boycott from May 8th-24th, the duration of the games. French restaurants are also suffering from the anti-French campaign. “France make the Games stop” T-shirts are also sold everywhere. You do not insult the Empire of the middle without any consequences.

The CNOSF president ruled out yesterday the wear of a badge by French athletes during the Olympics.

The “For a better world” badge, a phrase that takes words from the first sentence of the Olympic chart was revealed a couple of weeks ago by French athletes. It showed how the French were contributing to human rights and was worn during the torch relay. Ruling out the badge is a clear sign in favour of the BOCOG and the Chinese government. Sources said it was banned due to the mention FRANCE written on it saying the Olympic movement was international.

Reporters without borders, which is for a boycott of the opening ceremony by the heads of countries also created a badge for the event. It says liberty in Chinese characters, or “zi you”. Each of these badges has one of the Olympic colours.

Freedom of speech, freedom of thought…

Many artists were quiet on the Olympic games/Human rights problems. Steven Spielberg recently decided not to supervise the production and the screenplay of the opening ceremony. A famous British street artist, Banksy did an artwork in London on a post office near Oxford Circus. It says “One nation under CCTV”, CCTV being video surveillance and also the name of the main Chinese broadcaster. Banksy criticizes the position of the Chinese government against the freedom of speech.

Throughout the world, the olympic torch is escorted by some weird people.

Blue tracksuits, Beijing 2008 logos, cap, black sunglasses, headphone, the whole world has seen these people around the flame and the runners. They are called the Men in Blue. Who are they? They are members of the Chinese paramilitary forces. There strength is by far superior of anybody around the torch. They decide where the torch goes, they protect it and they give orders to the local police of each country. How come that the Chinese authorities dictate their orders on foreign soil? Tibetan flags are forbidden and most of the people are unable to see the flame. Olympic games, political and economical games.