Back to the 60's, people!

A true heroine

"Oppose splittism, Protect stability, Encourage development" is the new China slogan for the Tibetans in its new reeducation programme coming soon near you in Tibet.

According to the report from Taipei Times, an English daily based in Taipei, "China has stepped up so-called 'patriotic campaigns' in monasteries in Tibet requiring Tibetan Buddhist monks to denounce the Dalai Lama and declare their loyalty to Beijing." Reminiscing the 60's?

Other than that, there is the new red army movement in full speed equipped with not Mao's little red book but the little red mouse. As a result, with their 'patriotism', Ms Wang, a Duke University student and a Han Chinese, is now the 'traitor' and the number one enemy of the whole China because of her outspokenness for the Tibetans during the Free-Tibet demonstration in San Francisco.

As a result, not only her parents' names, address in China, and her background information are exposed, her life may also be in danger. Massive amount of anti-Wang blogs and forums sprouted since her exposure from the demonstration and all of them contain vows to take her blood.

Supposedly, Tibet was the trigger, though what caused this increasing hatred from China to the rest of the world is obviously from the past residue during the Mao and Dung era. Nevertheless, all the Chinese people's argument on how the western media has so far failed to be coherent.

I really can't agree with those so-called democrats who urge China to give greater freedom to Tibetans, or raise the issue of Darfur.

Look at what the US and UK have done to Iraq. Will these people protest over the London Olympic Games? --- student, China

A fallacious argument - (Red Herring) two wrongs make a right. (Yes, I did wiki it but I do remember it from H's class.)

In conclusion, the Chinese individuals need to understand that standing up for the ignorance of your government, who repeatedly fails to admit and learn from its failures from history, would make you seem ever more dumb and backwards, not the western criticisms.

The Olympic Hopefuls

As I was doing some research with my upcoming interview with the Chinese, Taipei (Taiwan) Olympics team, there was a burning urge to jolt down these questions:

"Do you think of the Olympics being more than just an international sporting event?"

"What do you think of the French president boycotting the opening ceremony due to the uprising in Tibet? What do you think of Ma's (our president-to-be) previous comment on boycotting the Olympics if the issue in Tibet does not lighten up?"

"Do you remember that in 1976 Taiwan too boycotted the Olympics because Canada, the country that was holding the event, refused our name of entry as 'Republic of China'?"

Also in 1976, due to pressure from the People's Republic of China (PRC), Canada told the team from the Republic of China (Taiwan) that it could not compete at the Montreal Summer Olympics under the name "Republic of China" despite a compromise that would have allowed Taiwan to use the ROC flag and anthem. The Republic of China refused and as a result did not participate again until 1984, when it returned under the name "Chinese Taipei" and used a special flag.

When I found this passage on Wikipedia, I was elated, however, as I evaluated the whole incident, I came to realise that we didn't boycott it because we believed something but we were merely banned from our former name. Under the pressure from the PRC, we had to change our name to enable our athletes to compete in such great international event.

Like most countries, it's understandable that most of the athletes would be reluctant to pull out from the Olympics since that's what they've worked so hard for all their lives, and it would definitely be a pity for a place that its existence has been denied in so many parts of the world like Taiwan, to miss out another international event.

And despite the Olympics, most of Taiwan's athletes have a rather gloomy future in comparison to most advanced countries.

For most of them, except baseball players, no professional teams or programmes are available after they've finished their university or grad school. Many have voiced their concerns in upon their Olympics laurels. Chen Szu-yuan, an archery silver medallist in 2004 Athens Olympics said,

"My only worry is that next year I will graduate from graduate school and I will have to find a job. If my job doesn't allow me to train, then my archery career will come to an end. Taiwan has sponsors for table tennis, badminton and baseball. People are hired as staff members, but they are allowed to focus on training. I hope this can happen for archery as well."

Therefore, it is not so surprising to find them unwilling to pass on the opportunity for the Olympics, for it may also be their only chance to land on a contract with a big sports brand like Nike and secure their income for at least a few years before their medallist halo diminishes and left to their own device when they are in their mid-30s.

Even though it's really important that we all see to that China does the right thing at least during the summer this year, the chances of any changes seems slimmer than Posh Spice. Nonetheless, there is still hope to change the ways we treat our team of young hopefuls a bit better than what they are getting now before they turn into bitter old washed-ups with no national identity.

More than just a game

Besides the evil monks, the demonic Dalai Lama, and the lopsided reporting from the foreign media, the chairman of IOC, Jacques Rogge, is finally admitting that the game is indeed political after many other experts and NGOs have made their voices heard.

One of which entertained me the most (Guardian):

"Much nonsense is uttered about the Olympics not being political. Anything rooted in blatant nationalism is political. Anything so expensive as to impose a multibillion-pound opportunity cost on the host nation is political. Anything "awarded" as a prize to authoritarian states like the Soviet Union or China is political." --- Simon Jenkins

Even though it seems like such an obvious answer that the Olympics is indeed very political, I was happy to find out that someone has conveyed it into coherent phrases.

A lopsided reporting is another bewildering accusation of this incident.

A few weeks ago, James Miles, the only foreign correspondent during the rising of the riot reported on this account several times after his return, including the BBC From Our Own Correspondent, a weekly radio programme. Miles concurred that the riot was started by the Tibetans and targeted on the Han Chinese businesses. Yes, they looted stores, though injuries were yet to be seen. Yes, they targeted the Han Chinese, though violence was yet to be confirmed.

For those who have heard his reporting, might conclude that the Tibetans portrayed by the foreign media are indeed like peaceful angels, whereas the Chinese government the abrasive oppressor. Well, the Chinese did come in with tanks and soldiers, as for whether did any monks got injured or killed, we might never know. Nevertheless, like Miles said, "The policies that the Chinese government have on Tibet have failed."

So after all this time, after many comments of those bystanders, I'd really like to hear what the people in Lhasa have to say on this account and the whole rioting. To my surprise, this report from the Toronto Star, explained that the Han Chinese in Tibet seem to be quite pro Tibetans. And it seems like they want the same things --- economic growth.

At the end of the day, the basic needs of survival is what people of all races would fight for, though in the case of Tibet, the freedom to practice their religion would be just as crucial.