Beijing Olympic games 2008
It was in the year 1995 that China under the leadership of Deng announced a reversal from the strong communist policies.That had led to the economic development with the forces of globalization consumerism, materialism and capitalism coming into play.There had been change in the culture attitude of China with modern generation willing to embrace the western culture.Hong Kong was returned to China in the year 1997 and Macau was returned to China in the year 1999 .
The country once again shot into prominence after the successful hosting of Beijing Olympics in the year 2008.
Beijing Olympic games
China had been improving their international relations after two events.Improving of relationship started with entry to WTO in the year 2001 and that had reached good height when Beijing Olympics was hosted. (Nathan, 2008, July 9,pp.41-47).
There is a thinking that the country had been able to overcome a century of humiliation after the successful conducting of Olympics. (Price Daniel ,2008). The official slogan for the Beijing Olympics has been One World, One Dream (Nathan, 2008, July 9,pp.41-47) . China has been the third East Asian country to hold the Olympic games after the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and Seoul Olympics in 1988 (Nathan, 2008, July 9,pp.41-47) .
The similarities and continuities with past activities
Sporting culture
The country has been considering sporting events to showcase their development internationally.The tradition has been upheld in the Beijing Olympics 2008.Way back in 1980 when the Chinese women volleyball team defeated Japan, there has been wide spread celebrations in China.Though diplomatic ties have improved with Japan after wards, Chinese people still consider a sporting loss as a bad omen.
Sports is still controlled by the state and there has been no changes even after Olympics has ended. Beijing Olympics highlighted the fact that the political party in China was unwilling to give its control over political life and that had been the position at the beginning of the century.
The government of China has been promoting the Soviet style of unity in sports. Political circles in China has been sending strong messages to discipline themselves in sports arena so that China tops the medal tally.Healthy body of athletes has been showcased as a modern healthy China to the western world.
The country is still not reluctant to take the services of foreign coaches in areas which they consider as weak and want to improve like football and Hockey.China has been willing to send their strong players overseas for professional assignments and this has been meant to improve the image of China globally.Chinese basketball player Yao Ming had joined the prestigious American National Basketball Association.He played in the Houston Rackets.
All these efforts has been done to project an image of a stronger nation in terms of health and prosperity.The country has been taking measures to embrace international prestige and this connection among national politics ,international affairs has been taken forward by hosting the Olympics.
Poor Human Right record
China had taken efforts to project an unified image to the world in Olympics.In keeping with the tradition, the country has been taking iron clad measures to overcome all protests. There has been slogans raised by human right activists like the One-World-One-Dream-Free Tibet and One-World-One-Dream-Universal-Human Right and so on.There has been allegations that Chinese embassies were keeping a tight hold over the visa before the games started and visa extensions were hard to get.There has been a shortage of expats before 2008 Olympic games.There has been a curb on Free Tibet campaign and there has been a limit to the Internet service that has been extended to the journalists.These incidents that happened before the games started can be said as an extension of the Chinese tradition of not adhering to the democratic values and the desire to present globally that everything has been perfect.
There has been reports against the poor human right track record of China like the Falun Gong religious movement of peasant.There has been protest from ethnic minorities and poorer communities in Beijing about the way their homes and communities has been destroyed to make way for Olympic village.Before the games started Chinas relationship with Mynanmar, Zimbabwe, Sudan has been denounced internationally.The 2008 games has been denounced as genocide games citing the country involvement with Sudan (Mangan,2008).
China had failed in the bid to host the 2000 Olympics because of poor track record in human rights (Close,Paul,David Askew, Xu Xin 2007).Western media had raised the issues of human rights even after awarding the games to Beijing .Washington Post had written an editorial column stating that the Beijing Olympics should be boycotted.Noted film director Steven Spielberg had resigned from the post of artistic advisory stating Chinas poor human right track record.There has been unrest and violence in Tibet in the year 2008 and that strengthened the notion that China has not been doing enough on human rights area (Brownell, 2008).There has been questions raised against Chinas status as international citizen.Beijing has been facing more problems when protesters in support of Tibet took to the streets before the games started.Beijing had reacted sharply to this protests by sending soldiers (Brownell, 2008). Slaughter in Tibet had led to many dilemma in International community (Brownell, 2008).
This poor track record of China has been going for long time and Beijing Olympics has been no exception to this. The real problem is that only technology from the western side has been embraced in China and democracy has been kept at arms length in China.Western sports were promoted in China very fast and has been stimulating nationalist sentiments.
There has been problems with western media after the disruption of Olympic torch relay in Britain ,France and other countries.The comparable set down has happened way back in 1989 after the Tienanmen crackdown.Reputation of China has suffered at that stage also.The government had attracted the trouble when they locked up a young person HU JIA for publishing articles in the internet against the state.There has been still sticking to the tradition of not allowing to protest even before and during the Olympic games.The tradition of not allowing an independent free press in the nation is still followed .
There has been a tense mood of vigilance by the Chinese authorities to ensure a smooth Olympics.There has been riots in Lhasa in 2008 and China had accused western countries of promoting it to unsettle the Olympics (Price,Monroe E Daniel Dayan,2008).The tension in Urumqi after the Olympics had ended had strengthened the belief that there is deep ethnic and social tensions in China (Brownell,2008).
There has been wide spread fear that Beijing Olympics would be a polluted one but China had taken strict measures against it by forcing cars off the road.This has been in strict adherence to the tradition that China wants to present itself as best globally (Price,Monroe E Daniel Dayan,2008) .
Change in the traditional policies in lieu of Beijing Olympics
Wealth Perception
There has been change in the way economics has been managed in China.In the earlier years before the Olympics, wealth and display of wealth was not considered as good.There has been breaking of tradition in Beijing Olympics.This has been considered as the costliest Olympics so far.The country has been able to come out with sizzling opening and closing ceremonies and that can be said as a mixture of modernity and tradition.In keeping with tradition ,Chinese civilization has been highlighted well.A change away from tradition can be said as the lazer displays that had been shown. (Price Daniel ,2008).
Infrastructure improvements
China wanted to show to the world that they have all the potential to make it big.There has been a concrete effort in the past also from the authorities to improve the infrastructure to meet international standards.There is a new reliable underground networking system that has helped to improve the communication channels.The worlds largest airport terminal has been developed (Price,Monroe E Daniel Dayan,2008).These infrastructure changes have been helping China to attract more foreign investment .
China has been able to communicate with the world about their vision of future by hosting the Olympic games.This has been the moment that Chinese Communists have been waiting for long time.China has become a commercialized society that has been run by communist party that can be said as no longer ideologically closer to communism.The opening ceremony highlighted the changes in the Chinese culture with the narrative showing a secure confident western Chinese culture.
China has been able to use the Internet very well in promoting the games and the facilities that has been offered in the games village has been good.More construction has been planned in Beijing arena even after completion of games.The educational programs, the communication programs has been tailor made to meet the changing nature of country.
English
Olympics has helped Chinese people to learn English.There has been an order in China for taxi drivers, public servants ,workers to learn English.The Imperial ancestral temple has been attracting more people for learning foreign language.There has been an effort to improve the public manners and Chinese people has been advised not to spit in public.Chinese people has been advised not to indulge in queue jumping and has been advised to improve their smiles.All this has been done to improve the image of China.
The issues with Tibet had shown to the world that there has been an uneasy truce in China.There has been a deeper historic and political issues that had to be solved for the country to go forward.The conduction of games can be said as the most successful achievement for the worlds populous country.China can become obsess with their new international status and retain their own Chinese identity.But how well can China conduct a balancing act on social and political front will determines the future internationally. For country to gain more acceptance in future, it has to improve on democracy and human rights issues. A change in these deterrent factors will surely bring a positive change to the image of China and there has to be change in attitude in political circles also.
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