Beijing Olympics
The Beijing Olympics 2008 are to be held in August. But even before the Olympic Games have started, China is already facing certain obstacles. A few days back, Spielberg (the famous director), who was supposed to be an artistic adviser for the opening and closing ceremonies, has decided to step down from the post. He believes that China needs to do a lot more to stop the ever increasing violence in Darfur (however, he must know that America itself is remaining mum on this issue). A group of Nobel laureates and athletes also ventilated their frustration at China's lucrative business deals with the Sudanese government, through a letter to the British daily The Independent.
They feel that merely asking Sudan to accept a UN peacekeeping mission is not enough. They feel that China, by buying oil from Sudan and by selling them arms, is basically financing as well as ignoring the conflicts and killings. China can expect more pressure to come. Human rights groups will use this opportunity to highlight China's tougher stance towards Tibet and Taiwan and also China's reluctance to deal with Myanmar's Junta. Already, a pro-Tibet independence group, Students for a Free Tibet, have said they will use this event to protest against China. Then the food-price inflation will mean that some of the political opponents of the Chinese government may voice their anger by highlighting the hardship of the poor. Then China's poor pollution record will also come under scrutiny. Environmentalists will particularly try to express their concern over the fact that China may soon be required to pump in water from the Yangzi river to avert water shortfall, which in other words would mean, damaging the river's ecology and making the water undrinkable. And to make matters worse, if the Chinese security forces take a tough stance towards these dissident groups (although they have been instructed to remain as calm and gentle as possible), then it will severely affect the reputation of China and also that of the MNCs ( who will be the sponsors).
China would want to use the Olympics to highlight its growing economic and political clout i.e. it would want to further strengthen its place as a major stakeholder in terms of running of the world affairs. However, this may be the most “politically contentious” Olympics since Moscow 1980 (which were held during the Cold War).China will try to handle the event in the best possible manner. It will face obstacles, but it has to deal with these issues. This is because the West will try its best to undermine China's achievements.
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