Olympic Games Beijing 2008

Grace Wang

Grace Wang is a Chinese student living in the US. From the Duke University, she tried to be a messenger betwwen the pro-Chinese and the pro-Tibet. She received death threats for that and her parents in China also had tourble. When sport make people crazy. She decided to tell her story in the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/18/AR2008041802635_pf.html

Beijing won’t guarantee any internet freedom during the Olympics.

The Chinese authorities did not say they won’t block the web during the Games. They will also continue to allow any kind of bootleg.

Wang Wei, vice president of the BOCOG, promised to the international media no internet censorship during the Games. Human rights activists criticized that China did not respect its word.

China watches the use of the internet while the number of users is surging. Anti government sites like the Falung Gong, free Tibet sites, even the US Wikipedia are blocked.
“We will try to do our best to unblock them” during the Games, said the minister of Technology, Wang Gang in a press conference for the arrival of the torch in on Mt Everest.
“I don’t have any info on which site will be open, close or watched. However some sites will be controlled to protect the youth. Every country limits the access to the internet. Even in developed countries, all sites are not available to the public” said the minister.

Source: Reuters

The Olympic torch on the roof of the world.

Today, the flame went up the symbol of Tibet.

No information was released by the Chinese authorities, not even the weather forecast for this national event. That had to be protected from Human rights and pro Tibet NGOs. The Everest belongs to Tibet and Tibet is part of China. That had to be clear and it is now clearer in everybody’s eyes. The torch was carried by 36 people, 24 Tibetans, 10 Hans, 1 Tujia and 1 Tu, two other ethnics from China. For 4 days they went up the Everest. The event was “live” on CCTV, the Chinese broadcaster, with a precise countdown. The last relay was a young woman from Tibet. All the members also took their oxygen masks off in order to screan their joy to the Chinese people. Great national event or propaganda? A little bit of both.

The Olympic torch is in China.

The Hongkongese stage of the Olympic torch was the last democratic stage of the torch relay. A week from now, when the torch will enter mainland China, human rights activists will be replaced by a marketing propaganda by the main sponsors. In Hong Kong, some activists and pro Tibet were seen. Many Chinese from mainland China were there due to the holidays in China. The NGO, Dream for Darfur, held an event criticizing the position of China towards Sudan and Darfur. The actress Mia Farrow spoke there. She flew 32 hours to attend the event. Sponsors were criticized, especially Coca Cola; sponsor of the 1936 Games and the 1940 winter Games in Germany that were cancelled. Funny thing to see that Coke is always obeying its thirst. China recently changed it position towards Sudan. Will China ever have exemplary position on the political world stage? One day maybe.

The torch also went through Macao and its 29 casinos. The time spent there was 3 hours at the most. Two Human rights activists from Hong Kong were stopped at the border. No trouble was made. The torch will continue to Hainan, and then will be in Guangzhou and its new stadium. There will be 113 stops in mainland China before entering the Olympic stadium in Beijing on August 8th.

Vision Beijing

Patrice Leconte, a French movie maker was asked by the Chinese government to shoot a promotion ad called “Vision Beijing”.

Far from the sports community and the political stress before the games, Leconte did a very lyrical and neutral movie.
The Chinese government tries to show the best image they can. The French director forgot to show the 1989 Tiananmen events, to talk about the Human rights, the press and the pollution. He also confirmed that the movie was pure propaganda.

Steven Spielberg walked out of his supervisor job. He was supposed to help the BOCOG doing the opening ceremony. Since the Schindler’s List, Spielberg tries to make humanist and political movies. Leconte, him, did not follow Godard’s advice “The point is not to make political movies, but to make movie politically”
Four other film makers participated in the event: the British Daryl Goodrich, the Hong-kongese Andrew Lau Wai-Keung, the Iranian Majid Majidi and the Italian Giuseppe Tornatore.

China punishes the Tibetan uprising.

We thought the communist party was ready to talk to the Tibetan government. Between approaches from the Dalai Lama, a positive communication, China now seems to position itself on the sports side only.

Their marketing is cheap. We can see that nobody will tell China what to do and China won’t let anybody’s rules. On April 29th, the first Tibetan demonstrators were sentenced for the March uprising. The first seven sentences ranged from 3 years to life. China accused these people of murder of 18 Chinese-Han civilians and a police officer. They are also said to have burnt 7 schools, 5 hospitals and a 120 homes. 908 shops were robbed evaluating damages at 244 millions Yuan. Yesterday, China acknowledged the assassination of a Tibetan demonstrator.

Japan, Korea, Vietnam: Zone of turbulence.

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.

The Marketing of the Party

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…

Tibet, truth and lie.

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.

Adidas, Nike and LiNing : What is at stakes ?

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.