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  • China defends pre-Games promises

    China defends pre-Games promises

    By Michael Bristow
    BBC News, Beijing


    China has vigorously defended itself against accusations that it has not fulfilled promises it made when it bid for the Olympic Games.

    Top Beijing Olympic official Wang Wei said the Olympics would allow China to open up further to the outside world.

    He was responding to criticism about China's pledges on issues such as human rights and media freedom.

    International Olympic officials have voiced disapproval over the detention of a UK journalist covering a protest.

    'Stepping forward'

    China has faced a barrage of criticism in the lead-up to the Games on a range of issues, including air pollution.

    Critics also say China has failed to improve human rights and accuse it of reneging on a pledge to provide complete media freedom to report the Games.

    But in an impassioned speech, Wang Wei, executive vice-president of the Beijing organisers, dismissed the bad publicity.

    Speaking at a press briefing, Mr Wang said that when he was secretary-general of the Beijing Olympic bid committee, he was "confronted with many questions".

    "I did say that the Olympic Games coming to China will help China open up further and reform better," he said.

    The fact that China had set up protest areas for its citizens during the Olympics showed it was heading in the right direction, he said.

    "I think China has been stepping forward, and if you ask the ordinary Chinese on the streets they will give you the same answer," he said.

    "Everybody is happy. People are optimistic about their own future. That is a fact."

    Mr Wang went on to attack what he termed the small number of people who criticised China. "That does not mean we are not fulfilling our promise," he said.

    Visitors coming to China for the first time would see a different country to the one represented in films and newspapers, he added.

    "People will see better for themselves what China is like," he said.

    Despite the comments, International Olympic Committee spokeswoman Giselle Davies, sitting next to Mr Wang, said journalists should be able to do their jobs unhindered.

    Her comments come after a British journalist was briefly detained while trying to cover a pro-Tibet protest near the main Olympic venues.

    "We don’t want to see it happening again," she said, referring to the detention.
    sigpic

  • #2
    Originally posted by xrough View Post
    ["Everybody is happy. People are optimistic about their own future. That is a fact."
    And into the rat cages with anyone who disagrees.

    -dale

    Comment


    • #3
      China has faced a barrage of criticism in the lead-up to the Games on a range of issues, including air pollution.
      Anyone else noticed that the criticism (in your country) is under the table now that the games have started? That's what it's like here, no more discussions on tv or critical articles in the newspapers.
      Knowledge is annoying
      -K. Pilkington

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by JamesCash View Post
        Anyone else noticed that the criticism (in your country) is under the table now that the games have started? That's what it's like here, no more discussions on tv or critical articles in the newspapers.
        Because this once a life time opportunity has been hijacked by the Georgian and Russian politicians, well Phelps too

        Originally posted by dalem View Post
        And into the rat cages with anyone who disagrees.

        -dale
        Well, the cages in us Chinese's mind are far more restricting than these actual ones, if there are any. After all, the path to liberty cannot been achieved over night. It has to be slowly evolved as the power struggles and the mass mentality proceeds.

        Believe it or not, liberals are not the only threat CCP face today. The leftmost Maoists are enjoying a reversional popularity from the poor as the disparity keep getting worse. Unfairness and jealousy has revived the memory of "good old days".

        Arrogance and hostility would only help dictatorship if anything. You westerners should lean to use your soft power more cleverly if you actually wanna help. I am thinking Phelps again
        Last edited by Everyan; 17 Aug 08,, 06:08.
        天下兴亡,匹夫有责

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        • #5
          Things are improving fast. Just far from enough.

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