As Games End, China's Luster Is Tarnished

Despite Olympic Stage For Achievements And Gold Medal Lead, Nation Still Faces Concerns Over Human Rights

(AP)  China completed its stint as Olympic host Sunday with a superstar-studded closing ceremony that capped a 16-day pageant of state-of-the-art logistics and astounding athletic feats, set out for a curious world. The Games did little, though, to erase concerns about the emerging superpower's approach to human rights.

Tenor Placido Domingo was on hand, joining a Chinese soprano in a lyrical duet. Soccer icon David Beckham and graying Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page were there, helping London take the reins as host-to-be of the 2012 Games.

Yet even as the International Olympic Committee was praising itself for awarding Beijing these Olympics, the U.S. Embassy urged China to free foreign activists jailed for protesting at the Games. China, the embassy suggested, should have used its moment in the global spotlight to show "greater tolerance and openness."

China nonetheless achieved its paramount goals: a dominant effort by its athletes to top the gold-medal standings for the first time and near-flawless organizing that showcased world-class venues and smiling volunteers to the largest-ever peaceful influx of foreign visitors.

As a bonus, not just one but two athletes gave arguably the greatest performances in Olympic history - Michael Phelps with his eight gold medals in swimming, and Jamaica's effervescent Usain Bolt with three golds and three world records in the sprints.

Delighted with the on-field competition, the IOC insisted its much-debated selection of Beijing back in 2001 had been vindicated.

"Tonight, we come to the end of 16 glorious days which we will cherish forever," IOC President Jacques Rogge told the capacity crowd of 91,000 at the National Outdoor Stadium, and a global TV audience. "Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned more about the world."

"These were truly exceptional Games," he said, before declaring them formally closed.

The head of the Beijing organizing committee, Liu Qi, said the Games were "testimony to the fact that the world has rested its trust in China." He called them "a grand celebration of sport, of peace and friendship."

Before and during the Games, Rogge and the IOC were criticized by human rights groups for their reluctance to publicly challenge the Chinese as various controversies arose over press freedom and detention of dissidents. Athletes shied away from making political statements, and "protest zones" established in Beijing went unused as the authorities refused to issue permits for them and detained some of the applicants.

(Left: Wu Dianyuan, 79, and her neighbor, Wang Xiuying, 77, applied for a permit to protest being forced from their homes during the Beijing Olympics, Aug. 18, 2008. Chinese authorities ordered the two elderly women to spend one year in a labor camp, a relative told the AP.)

But the atmosphere was festive at the stadium as fireworks burst from its top rim - and from locations across the vast capital city - to begin the closing ceremony. After an army band played the Chinese national anthem, swarms of gaily dressed dancers, acrobats and drummers swirled onto the field, then made room for the athletes, strolling in casually and exuberantly from four different entrances.

Two-thirds of the way through the ceremony came the pulsating show-within-a-show by London, complete with break dancing, hip hop and ballet. From a stage formed from a red double-decker bus, Page played the classic rock hit "Whole Lotta Love" as British pop sensation Leona Lewis belted out the lyrics. Beckham, in a stylish black sweat suit, booted a soccer ball into the surrounding throng of athletes on the stadium floor.

Former Olympic runner Sebastian Coe, now chairman of the London organizing committee, was elated.

"What we have witnessed in Beijing is a truly spectacular Olympic Games," he said. "We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build on this moment."

After the Britons relinquished the spotlight, the Olympic flame atop the stadium was extinguished. A carnival-themed segment completed the show, featuring a duet by Domingo and Chinese soprano Song Zuying. There was another, noisier barrage of fireworks and confetti filled the air.

China invested more than $40 billion in the Games, which it viewed as a chance to show the world its dramatic economic progress. Olympic telecasts achieved record ratings in China and the United States, and the Games' presence online was by far the most extensive ever.

Rogge said these Olympics would leave a lasting, positive legacy for China - improved transportation infrastructure, more grass-roots interest in recreational sports, a more aggressive approach to curbing air pollution and other environmental problems. Smog that enveloped the city early in the Games gave way to mostly clear skies, easing fears that some endurance events might be hazardous for the athletes.

American rower Jennifer Kaido of West Leyden, N.Y., said the Games exceeded her expectations.

"We were prepared for smog, pollution, demonstrations, but everything has gone very smoothly," she said.

Rogge acknowledged that China, despite promises of press freedom during the Games, continued to block access to numerous politically oriented Web sites, including those related to Tibet and the outlawed spiritual movement Falun Gong.

However, he contended that media restrictions were looser during the Olympics than beforehand, "and so we believe the Games had a good influence."

Human rights groups disagreed.

"The reality is that the Chinese government's hosting of the games has been a catalyst for abuses, leading to massive forced evictions, a surge in the arrest, detention and harassment of critics, repeated violations of media freedom, and increased political repression," said Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch. "Not a single world leader who attended the Games or members of the IOC seized the opportunity to challenge the Chinese government's behavior in any meaningful way."

Led by Phelps and Bolt, athletes broke 43 world records and 132 Olympic records during the Games. Yet Rogge, who visited every venue, said the most touching moment for him came after the 10-meter air pistol event, when gold medalist Nino Salukvadze of Georgia embraced runner-up Natalia Paderina of Russia even as their two countries' armies fought back in Georgia.

"That kind of sportsmanship is really remarkable," Rogge said.

[telltale57]

Sophie,
On the tarnished medals, I wonder if you realize what you are saying? People are criticizing the government, some pretty harshly, and you are responding: at least we won the most gold medals. Are you serious? Is that any consolation? You do know that in 1936 Hitler''s Germany won the most gold in the Berlin olympics. That gold is also not tarnished. But that is not the issue here.

[sopheapang]

China'' gold medals certainly will not tarnish. The metals that tarnish include silver and bronze and America has a lot of those medals. The writer should have written this news article for the U.S. team instead.

[tangula-2009]

There are surely many things we Chinese should deal with great care, in order to be more civilized, more prosperous and more harmoniously living with people around the world. China is in a transition with a pace, maybe slow but no slower than the changing mindsets of some west medium whose reports on China are often biased, incorrect and even animus. The American rower Jennifer Kaido of West Leyden, N.Y., said the Games exceeded her expectations. Where her expectations came from? Obviously the media played a key role. So we Chinese are not afraid be criticized with good wishes, but we object to be demonized.

[telltale57]

I''m sitting here in China watching a basketball game - I watched no more than 25 minutes of the Olympics altogether - and the camera kept showing this stupid looking man grinning in the stands. I asked my wife: "Who is that man they keep showing there?" She said: "It is the president of your country." I thought: what a bozo.
Anyway, there is no real tension between the leaders of the US and those of China. That is all a front. Behind the scenes they are working together to exploit the world''s masses - right now that is tilted to exploiting the Chinese, of course, but in principle there are no more countries. Exploitation is international and the kingpins are international. This is old hat, I know. But it is becoming more and more real, especially in China.

[intheshade-2009]

I keep remembering George Bush sitting in the stands waving his little US flag backwards, thinking that he is distracting us from the terrible acts of murder going on in Ossetia. After assuring the citizens in Ossetia that they had no intention of attacking them, they struck in the middle of the night, indescribably killing poor defenceless women and children as they lay sleeping, while the Georgian peace keepers killed their fellow Russian peace keepers, shooting them in the back and then bayoneting them.

[tootall10142]

ONCE AGAIN THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS THE WORLDS GREATEAS ATHLETE.THE CHINESE WANT TO BARF EVERY TIME THEY HEAR THE NAME PHELPHS.CHEAT AS THEY MAY THEY WILL HAVE TO RESERVE A PLACE IN THIER BOOKS FOR A AMERICAN FOR ALL OF TIME.

[fjinnw]

whats with the hahaha ? Is your son or daughter posting the comment for you now ? ***, you are just a freaking kid, i knew it.

[trrrorislam3]

Posted by fjinnw at 07:02 AM : Aug 25, 2008

china will not be able to cheat as easily in four years,,,

when it is in london,,,

hahaha

you will have to settle for 6th or 7th place again,,,

hahaha

[trrrorislam3]

Freedom has a thousand charms to show, That slaves, howe''er contented, never know.~William Cowper

[fjinnw]

you still can''t get over the medals count, poor guy.

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_olympics#List_of_nations_finishing_at_the_top_of_the_medals_tables

http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/2004/results/medaltally.htm

[trrrorislam3]

CHINA SPECIAL OLYMPICS/CHEATING,,,

http://www.google.com/search
?hl=en&q=2008+OLYMPIC CHEATING

china stinks,,,

always has,,,

always will,,,

2008 Medal Count
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/08/04/sports/olympics/20080804_MEDALCOUNT_MAP.html

USA ROCKS,,,

United States 36 38 36 110

China 51 21 28 100

Russia 23 21 28 72

UNDERAGE Chinese Gymnasts CHEAT TO GET GOLD MEDAL -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmf5GTALw6o&feature=related

How old are the Chinese Olympics Gymnastics Girls?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD5MDa1U2nE&feature=related

Underage gymnasts : Is China cheating?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbwVhuSUTIU&feature=related

International Olympic Committee launches probe into He Kexin''s age
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4583174.ece

[trrrorislam3]

Posted by fjinnw at 05:39 AM : Aug 25, 2008

next time we will back japan,,,

[telltale57]

Just giving you a tip with the Lin Yutang. The book was written in the 30s. No royalties for me anyway. I don''t care if you trust me. The fool thing is meant positively. No, Chinese are not fools - usually. That is the point of Lu Xun''s story. But they should be. Lin would say that we are all fools deep down inside. That''s all I got to say.

[fjinnw]

I am suspecting you are promoting this Lin Yutang''s book and I don''t trust you and you sure hope all Chinese are fools.

[telltale57]

Title is "The Slave, the Wise Man, and the Fool." The master is there, but not in the title. You have to be a fool to think you can change anything. But there is a little foolishness deep down inside every Chinese. And, in fact, everyone is Chinese deep down. I''ve never seen any human attribute that was not universal when you look deep enough into the soul. Of course, on the surface, there is a world of difference. But it is that we have to pierce. THe surface is not the real.

[telltale57]

How to help the Chinese people? A very good question. Let me point you to the book by Lin Yutang, or both of them. What is needed today in China are some courageous fools, some people who are willing to take a gamble and put their stakes on China''s future. I don''t mean capitalism. I mean honesty and frankness. This is actually not in the Chinese character - usually. But it is at times, and now is the time for some such people. I call them courageous fools in reference to Lu Xun''s character of the fool in "The Slave, the Master, and the Fool."

[fjinnw]

After so many posting, how do you think you can help the chinese people?

[telltale57]

I also doubt the old women story. It does not seem typical. These women, of course, might have been some long-standing trouble-causers for the government. Some old people still remember how it was under communism and they see what is going on now - correctly - as a turning back the clock. Public property is given to party bosses as their private business and the old peolpe find that they can''t even sit in the public space they used to enjoy, becaue it has now become "people''s property" - i.e. the property of the party bosses.

[telltale57]

and 4) they are most probably also beneficiaries (in some small measure, at least as compared with the people on the very bottom) of selfsame system of corruption.
What should we do? Overthrow the government? Of course not. But there is plenty of things we can do to try to make things better piecemeal - not the least of which is not lying about what is going on, at least not to ourselves.

[dimhumb]

If the news reports are correct, the two elderly women were not protesting unlawfully.
Posted by incog-nito at 08:41 PM : Aug 24, 2008

The picture is so blurred, and then the comment "Chinese authorities ordered the two elderly women to spend one year in a labor camp, a relative told the AP" is so evasive. Someone told someone, and someone posted it somewhere. But this is the world-known news agecy CBS. Give yoursef a trouble to find out a little of the details of such an importent issue as labor camp sentence for the old ones! Or don''t post it prematurely!