[Note: Huangfu Ping is the penname of a former <Liberation Daily>
commentator and <People's Daily> deputy editor-in-chief. He became
renowned under the penname of Hunagfu Ping with a series of articles
in sup****t of the reforms.]
[in translation]
The Sacred Flame Has Scorched Two Cultures
April 30 is 100 days from the Beijing Olympics countdown.
From the ceremony in which the Olympic flame was lit in Greece on
March 30, this has not been a peaceful month. The Olympic torch went
from London, Paris, San Francisco to New Dehli, Canberra, Seoul. It
was greeted warmly by the local citizens and the overseas Chinese
immigrants and students. But it was also subjected to protests by
people who are dissatisfied with how the Chinese government is
handling the Tibet issue. In order to ensure that the torch was
relayed smoothly, the local police were forced to keep the routes
secret, changed the routes without notice, shortened the routes,
tem****arily put out the flames and arrested protestors. All the way
through, there were repeated clashes between the overseas Chinese
immigrants and students versus the sup****ters of Tibet independence.
The Olympic flame which was to symbolize peace and unity became a
source of hurt between the Chinese cultures of Han and Tibet in an
unexpected manner.
It was the hope of the Chinese people to host the Olympics for
almost a century. Finally, just as the Olympics are about to take
place in our capital, we are faced with these embarrassing situations.
We had made two emotionally charged applications to host the Olympics
and we thought that we would finally get our chance to show the rise
of our people in a peaceful and prosperous time. We did not
anticipate that the Olympics would be like an astronomical telescope
that magnifies all the unsatisfactory flaws. In our subconscious, we
were expecting the world to be awed by the modern construction
projects for the Beijing Olympics so that the Chinese everywhere can
feel proud. But we did not realize that the people, the mass media
and the NGO's of the world (including some with political powers)
would use the Olympics to criticize our government's governing and
administrative styles as well as expect that we would make clear
changes with respect democracy, human rights and rule of law during
the Olympic period.
The two sets of expectations inside and outside China collided,
and created the embarrassing situations during the Olympic torch
relay. The op****tunities and challenges of the Olympics are two sides
of the same coin.
The Olympics Represent The Longing Of The Chinese People To Join
The World
Beijing is hosting the Olympics, Shanghai will be hosting the
World Expo, China has entered the WTO, opened to the outside world,
joined the United Nations peacekeeping force, and so on. These
actions show the earnest desire of the Chinese people to join the
mainstream world culture, and such is the solemn promise of the
Chinese government towards the international community. There is no
need to change the direction of our forward progress, especially not
because of external pressure and internal anxiety.
When the reforms first began, Deng Xiaoping visited Japan and the
United States, and led the grand nation of China out of the self-
imposed isolation during the era of Mao Zedong. In Japan, Deng
Xiaoping visited a Japanese automobile factory and saw the new
production line which could produce 99 times as many vehicles as the
Chinese Changchun Number One Factory. He sighed: "Now I understand
what modernization means." In Houston (USA), Deng went to the rodeo
show and accepted a cowboy hat from a horse rider and he put the hat
on his head. That moment in which the leader of a Communist country
gladly received an icon of American culture was defined by the media
as the symbol to show that China was opening up.
After the Cold War ended, the world became more diversified.
Although the residues of Cold War ideas continue to interfere, the
Chinese people did not miss the op****tunity to open up to the outside
world in a systematic manner.
Before the third generation Chinese Communist leader Jiang Zemin
left the politics, he was invited to visit American president George
W. Bush at his Crawford (TX) ranch. This laid the foundation for the
strategic partner****p between China and the United States.
The effort by China to join the WTO was met with western hostility
and internal worries. Zhu Rongji had no fear of being cursed out when
he went to visit the United States. Later in Beijing, he personally
discussed the final seven remaining tough problems with the
Americans. According to the chief Chinese negotiator Long Yongtu, the
Americans went through the first three problems and Zhu Rongji always
had the same answer: "I accept." Long Yongtu got concerned and kept
passing notes to Zhu. Then Zhu pounded on his table and said: "Long
Yongtu, stop passing me notes!" When the fourth problem came up, Zhu
Rongji said: "You should make some concessions in the last four
problems. If you do so, we can sign immediately." The Americans
coonferred anxiously for five minutes on their own and accepted the
Chinese terms. Thus, the last obstacle for China to join the WTO was
removed in one stroke.
Former Vice-Premier Wu Yi was in charge of foreign trade and she
actively promoted the integration of thee Chinese economy into the
world economy. She was systematic and reasonable in dealing with
international trade disputes. In the discussion of intellectual
property rights with the United States, the Americans said: "We are
negotiating with thieves." Wu Yi retorted: "And we are negotiating
with robbers. Please take a good look at the exhibits in your museums
and count how many were robbed from China." Former American trade
negotiator Charlene Barshefsky praised Wu Yi as "an outstanding
representative of the Chinese people" on the eve of Wu's retirement.
Wu only said plainly: "I am a salesperson. I am selling my
motherland, China."
China does not interfere with the market economy. Before the
reforms began, 99.96% of the workers belong to public enterprises.
Today, the non-public economy (including private capital, Hong Kong
capital, Taiwan capital and foreign capital) account for two-thirds of
the Chinese economy. China did not interfere with new high
technology. China has the second largest Internet population in the
world (221 million) and the largest mobile phone population (539
million). Even as China is getting on track in economy and
technology, it is also making huge efforts on the political system,
social management and cultural exchange. The Chinese Communists has
publicly announced that they have the rule of law and democracy as
their goals, expand civil participation in politics, implement
democracy within the party, oppose corruption and reform the
administrative system.
From the people to the government, China sup****ted and loved the
Beijing Olympics because it represents a fervent longing and sincere
effort to stand up culturally and to exchange with the rest of the
world on an equal footing. China has implemented its reforms for a
full 30 years. The Chinese used practical action to end Hegel's
reflection: "China is an exception beyond all other exceptions. Logic
does not apply in China." For the Chinese people, the Beijing
Olympics will be a great op****tunity. To use the explanation from the
Chinese television do***entary <River Elergy> from the 1980's:
Through thousands of years, the blue waves of the Pacific
Ocean have been silently calling out to this ancient tribe of people
who have been sleeping on the mainland ...
We are moving from translucency to openness.
We are moving from being sealed off to becoming open.
After thousands of years of solitude, the Yellow River can
finally see the deep blue ocean.
Western Cultural Hegemony Creates Blowback From Chinese Citizens
Regrettably, the sincerity and honesty of China towards the world
civilization is often misinterpreted by the deeply biased western
media, the western governments and even some western citizens. Such
cultural prejudices, political arrogance and military strikes can
easily remind the young Chinese people about the century of shame
since the Opium War.
The Tibet problem that created such a stir internationally this
time was related to the separatism that was once stirred up by the
British imperialists. The British army invade Yadong and Jiangzi and
the Tibetan army rose up to resist and defend their homeland. The
13th Dalai Lama had joined with the British to oppose the Qing dynasty
and ended up being exiled to India. In the end, he recognized his
mistake and returned to Lhasa under the rule of the central
government. He rejected the McMahon Line draw up by the British. In
modern history, China was subjected to internal and external problems,
and the Tibetans and the Hans both shared the woes of the Chinese
nation in the face of western hegemony. Our hearts were filled with
anger, sorrow, shame and grievance. The Tibetan people were
courageous and their leaders understood their cause was righteous.
They formed an im****tant part of the force of the Chinse people and
caused to political forces that had devious designs on Chinese
territory to pause.
Over this past month, we were startled to see the political
prejudices against the 59 years of New China, the slights against the
168 years of the culture of the Chinese people since the Opium War,
and the rejection of the 30 years of reform and peaceful rise of
China. On occasions, things took on the symptoms of hysteria. An
example is the CNN host Jack Cafferty calling the Chinese people
"thugs and goons" and calling products made in China "trash."
I understand the young Chinese people who gather to protest
outside the Carrefour hypermarts in certain cities, but I do not
approve of the boycott action. China is a member of WTO, and calling
for boycotts of foreign products and producers is not a smart move.
We must be wary about the influence of narrow-minded nationalism and
populism on these young people. The government must also take steps
to prevent the deterioration of the investment climate in China. But
I must also remind the western world to understand and respect the
historical sense of tragedy of the Chinese people and the blowback
against certain western media for their clumsy belittlement of China
during the Olympic torch relay. Wherever there is action, there is
reaction. The western world should think hard about that.
Many young Chinese people cannot forgive certain western media and
NGO's because they made subjectively edited and partial
interpretations about the truth of the riots in Lhasa and other areas
where Tibetans congregate as well as the rich and complex relation****p
between the Han and Tibetan peoples. During the March 14 Lhasa riot,
the Han people were violently attacked, looted and robbed by a small
number of Tibetans, but the western media characterized the Tibetans
as large-scale victims. The central government had lavished money to
sup****t the economic development of Tibet, it im****ted people with
skills and talents from the inland, it funded basic education, it made
modern technology accessible and it built the railroad to Tibet.
These efforts may not all be perfect, but isn't it not even minimally
fair and balanced to describe all these efforts as deliberately
attempts to destroy the existing Tibetan culture? Do the westerns
want the Tibetan to live permanently in a society with no
trans****tation infrastructure, no access to information and have
livelihoods based upon hunting and gathering? Do the Tibetans have to
stay frozen in time and space so that the westerns can enjoy the
aesthetic view of the sacred land of the snowy mountains?
Many young Chinese people cannot forgive certain western media and
NGO's of their sarcastic comments about the enthusiasm of the Chinese
people and their government in welcoming the Olympics. As hosts, we
are still somewhat unfamiliar and awkward with international customs
with respect to certain organizational details for the Olympics.
Thus, we sometimes do silly things. But this event represents an
attempt by the Chinese people to interact with world civilization,
which includes dialogue with western cultures. Our sincerity and our
various efforts have been blocked up and disrupted by certain
westerners. But it would be unwise for us to be intolerant to
everybody.
We Must Be Wary About Intolerance Of The Outside World
Even as we protest against the western cultural hegemony and
resist the possible political plots, we need to examine ourselves
humbly. The Olympics is like the WTO. It helps the Chinese people to
share in the universal culture and it also expresses what the
international community wants from China. This does not reflect
solely the will of China. There is no free ride in the international
system of relation****ps. The Olympic spirit emphasizes the tolerance
and surpassing of cultural divides. Everybody is supposed to act as
world citizens to see and understand different cultural backgrounds
and values, and learn to live harmoniously together in a diversified
environment. The wall of alienation between eastern and western
cultures requires both the east and west to work together to demolish
it. So which part of how we do things, and how we communicate and
express ourselves with the international community needs to be
improved?
China has shown intolerance of outsiders in the past. In 1972,
Premier Zhou Enlai invited the Italian film director Michelangelo
Antonioni to make the do***entary <Chung Kuo>. Antonioni avoided the
political proselytization of the Cultural Revolution and turned his
camera on the normal lives and mental states of ordinary Chinese
people instead. He was pilloried. <People's Daily> received orders
to publish the commentary <Malicious Intent, Disgusting Method> to
denounce <Chung Kuo> as an "anti-Chinese movie." After Jiang Qing and
the Gang of Four fell, the Foreign Ministry acknowledged in a do***ent
that this affair "created bad influence among foreigners." When the
Chinese Minister of Culture visited Italy, he made a special visit to
apologize to Antonioni.
In contem****ary Chinese history, there were some heart-breaking
misunderstanding and condemnations of people who were the first to
look at the outside world. The first Chinese diplomat was Guo
Songdao. When Guo served as the consul to England and France, he was
vilified by the Chinese government officials as "a Chinese traitor and
a turncoat official." His book <Memoirs of a Diplomat in the West>
was destroyed. After Guo resigned on grounds of poor health and
returned home, his house was plastered with abusive big-character
posters written by neighbors.
Today, we are expressing the national interests of China and the
dignity of the Chinese in a firm and powerful manner. We also need to
cultivate and maintain a cultural mentality that includes and
tolerates diversity. We need to present our positions rationally as
well as treat different voices seriously. When the paralympic torch
bearer Jin Jing used her body to defend the Olympic torch, we can
shower her with high praises; when she opposed the Carrefour boycott,
we should not treat her as an enemy. We have adequate justification
in protesting against the inaccurate re****ting and malicious
commentaries in some of the western media. But the western media will
continue to use "colored lens" to look at the Chinese reality over the
long term. The rectification requires long-term exchange, including
the provision of explanations and counter-arguments as well as the
acceptance of scrutiny by people from other cultures. The western
world is a cultural environment in which open access to information
and freedom of speech are basic values, and those malicious and
hostile re****ts form only one part of the voices there. We can
express our dissatisfaction, but we cannot expect that kind of voice
to disappear completely forever.
In an environment with diverse opinions, news re****ts on these
opinions are balanced generally speaking. We only need to increase
the appeal of the China position. News re****ting is a fluid process.
Due to information blockage and cultural alienation, the news re****ts
become inaccurate. The follow-up on the incident is supplemented and
corrected by later re****ts. In a country which is about to host the
Olympics, there is no need for its people to become immensely hostile
to the foreign mainstream media on account of certain inaccurate and
malicious re****ts. Behind these mainstream media lies certain public
opinions in their home countries. The divergence between public
opinions in one county and those of another require dialogue to
resolve.
Another im****tant factor in the increase of East-West alienation
is the lag of East-West information. We should continue to lift the
transparent of internal Chinese information and respect the right of
the Chinese people to be informed. In suddenly breaking incidents or
mass incidents that involve ethnic and religious issues, the
information should be released honestly, sincerely and openly in a
timely manner. The sky will not fall down as a result. We cannot
rely on the system of media control within China to work for overseas
propagandizing. We need to do media public relations in an
environment of multi-culturalism, including media management during
public relations crises. During the March 14 riots in Lhasa, the
re****ts issued by the sole foreign re****ter (James Miles of The
Economist) confirmed the veracity of the press release of the
government of the Tibet Autonomous Rule Region -- namely, the police
were self-restrained at the riot scenes. This shows that not all
foreign correspondents are politically biased and hostile.
China needs social stability and public power needs an appropriate
authority to maintain social stability. But this public power
necessarily has to be completely transparent. Transparency and
openness are the best ways to handle a crisis. I agree with the
attitude of State Council Information Office deputy director Cai
Mingzhao's position after the Lhasa riots: The Chinese government will
not be angered by outside condemnations and it will not ban the
athletes' blogs that contain negative opinions; the Olympics should be
an op****tunity for the global media to look at China from a different
angle.
We should be able to recognize that a successful Olympics depends
not just on economic and s****ts power, but more im****tantly on
political, cultural, social and people quality power. It is a
delusion to be able to dominate the world through economic progress
and s****ts gold medals alone.
High Humanistic Qualities Are Required To Deal With Ethnic and
Religious Issues
The issues of Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan involve the core
interests of China, namely national sovereignty and territorial
integrity. This is the grand premise. Under this grand premise,
there are many detailed issues, such as issues about ethnicity,
religion, society and history. All these require concrete and
detailed analysis.
Those Chinese people who want peaceful development are obviously
incompatible with the small number of violent Tibetan independence
advocates. This is about the grand principles of righteousness for
the nation. But there are still lingering estrangements,
misunderstandings and misgivings between the Tibetan and Han people
over time, even though these are not grand principles of
righteousness. Therefore, patient communication is required to reach
a consensus. Politically and economically, the Han people have been
the leading ethnic group. As such, they need to have the courage to
admit their weaknesses and inadequacies, especially with respect to
reflecting on the damage that they have historically caused the
Tibetan people. During the three years of famine due to The Great Leap
Forward, the Tibetan people also starved alongside the Han people.
The fat residues and wheat chaffs previously used to feed the cattle,
horses and mules were sought out and fought over by Tibetans to eat
for themselves. During the madness of the Cultural Revolution, the
monasteries in the areas with high concentrations of Tibetans were
assaulted, scrolls were destroyed, monks and nuns were forced to
become secular and some Tibetan people were so poor that they did not
even own bowls. The 10th Panchen Lama sent an angry 70,000-word-long
letter to Mao Zedong, and was sent to the Qincheng Prison during those
crazy times in which black and white were reversed.
We have adequate reason to say that when the reforms began, Hu
Yaobong was earnestly concerned about the Tibetan compatriots and the
central government invested in building Tibetan infrastructure. Of
every 10 RMB in the Tibetan government budget, 9 RMB came from the
central government budget. In 2007, the average GDP per capita was
12,000 RMB in Tibet, which is higher than many provinces and cities in
the inland. Free education was implemented in Tibet earlier than in
the rest of China. The urban Tibetans have full medical coverage,
while the rural farmers receive 100 RMB per annum in medical
assistance (even though this amount is still quite low). The central
government invested huge amounts of money to restore and maintain the
Potala Palace, the Norbulinka Monastery and the Sakya Monastery, it
organized a team to publish <The Great Treasury Scriptures> in Tibetan
and it restored <The Epic of King Gesar>. These achievements can be
seen by the Han and the Tibetan peoples, and they cannot be denied.
But we must also recognize that the injection of wealth into Tibet
is not equivalent to the injection of happiness. The Tibetan people
are a group with a rich spiritual life, so that any sup****t and
assistance to Tibet must be materialistic as well as spiritual. We
must pay attention to the spiritual needs of the Tibetan people and
their Tibetan Buddhist religion, we must respect their culture and
customs, we must love and protect the ecology of Tibet, we must stop
overgrazing of the grasslands, we must stop indiscriminate
deforestation and we must prevent the slaughter of rare animal
species.
With respect to the Dalai Lama, we will firmly reiterate our
political position that we oppose Tibetan independence and we oppose
violence. At the same time, we need to be good at communicating and
commenting at the level of spiritual culture. The Dalai Lama is adept
at packaging demands that involve political interests as the defense
of a certain form of spiritual purity. To simply apply political
labels to the Dalai Lama such as calling him "a jackal wearing a
monk's robe and a demon with a human face and the heart of a beast" is
not going to smear him or bring him down. Instead, it will only leave
an impression for the international community about crass boorishness
and an unwillingness to engage in dialogue.
We must acknowledge that there had to be certain social problems
during the economic development of Tibet, such as the relation****p
between the base cadres and the m***** and how the mainland
entrepreneurs and the local Tibetans can create wealth together. We
also need more flexible social administrative systems and ethnic
autonomous-rule systems to ensure that social problems do not get
politicized. Wise leaders are always good at separating political and
ideological problems and reduce things to specific individual social
problems to be solved one at a time. They do not label the various
demands from various interest groups as "political plots" "with
ulterior motives" and let these demands coalesce into politicized
problems that explode together. Therefore, the relevant leaders in
charge of the Tibet issue must break away from the traditional
political thinking and deal with the unique social, ethnic and
religious problems in Tibet in a pragmatic way.
The Han and the Tibetan peoples share some admired historical
figures such as Con****ius, Guang Yu and Lord Bao. There were
continuous friendly exchanges, compliments, tributes, unions and
presents between the Han and the Tibetans. The Jokhang Temple has a
stele in front to do***ent the alliance between the Tang Dynasty and
the Tibetan Kingdom, with an uncle-nephew relation****p. Princess
Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty was married to King Songtsen Gampo of the
Tibetan Kingdom. The People's Liberation Army was stationed in Tibet
during the early years of the liberation and brought in the advanced
scientific technology and cultural achievements. Tibetan Buddhism was
widely popular in the inland. The Yonghe Palace in Beijing, the
Summer Garden in Beijing, the White Pagoda Temple, the Taer Temple in
Qinghai, the Dazhao Temple in Hohhot (Inner Mongolia), the Wutai
Mountain in Shanxi province and the Ling Yin Temple in Hangzhou city
all incor****ate Tibetan-style architecture, statues and murals. The
land reforms in Tibet raised the social standing of the farmers and
herders. The social foundation of Han-Tibetan relation****p has not
basically changed, and we should have confidence in harmony between
the Han and the Tibetans.
I agree with the view of the Phoenix TV commentator: The central
government officials in charge of minority and religious affairs need
to be highly trained in ethnic studies and anthropology so that they
get enter the inner worlds of the Tibetan people. They need to be so
familiar with Tibetan culture to the point that they become avid
fans. The Emperor Qianlong took remedial lessons in the Tibetan
language for the purpose of meeting with the 6th Panchen Lama. I
suggest that the government should raise its own stance higher. On
one hand, it must continue to serve as the keeper of social order. On
the other hand, it should play a more active role as a social mediator
to resolve the estrangement, misunderstandings and conflicts between
the two great ethnic groups of the big Chinese family. At the same
time, they can also serve as the mediator between the spiritual leader
Dalai Lama of Tibet and the more radically violent elements (such as
the Tibet Youth Congress). Here, I am reminded of the words of the
Emperor Kangxi: "When a emperor reigns, there is a natural logic that
does not require taking risks. The way to defend the borders of the
kingdom is to be benevolent and make sure that the people are happy.
When the people are content they love their nation and the borders
will be secured." That was a perceptive summary of the historical
experience in ruling Tibet!
Face The World With A Plain Demeanor
Tibet is situated in the middle of the three ancient civilizations
based upon the Yellow River, the Two Rivers and the Indian Rivers.
The Brahmaputra Yarlung Zangbu River is the crack that opened when the
Eurasian and Indian plates collided. The Qingzang Plateau is the roof
of the world and the Brahmaputra Yarlung River which stands three
times as high as the Taishan Mountain above sea level should not be
the cause of alienation between different civilizations.
The Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom Fu Ying wrote in the
<Sunday Telegraph>, "I am concerned that mutual perceptions between
the people of China and the West are quickly drifting in opposite
directions." "... simply a sincere heart was not enough to ensure
China's smooth integration with the world. The wall that stands in
China's way to the world is thick." The Olympic torch relay is only
the prelude to the Olympics. The next focus will be on Beijing.
During the Olymipcs, various athletes, judges, tourists, NGO's and
government leaders will come to Beijing and necessarily bring with
them certain different values and angles for social criticism. The
Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee has repeatedly ask for the
Olympics not to be politicized. They hoped that the Beijing Olympics
can avoid being confounded by the issues of Tibet, human rights and so
on. But we cannot require that all the foreigners coming to Beijing
should do so only for the s****ts. Furthermore, we cannot require that
they observe things and reach the same judgments as we do. How shall
we treat the voices which differ from ours? This will be a test for
us about how to join in globalization.
Obviously, the government should quickly withdraw from the role of
omnipotent government. When we face the international community, we
cannot expect all the statements to come from the same angle and the
same position. The central government is concerned about national
unity and social order. The Beijing municipal government is concerned
about security, traffic and preventing terrorism. The Beijing
Olympics Organizing Committee is concerned about the normal operations
of the Olympics without interference.
At the same time, we could try marketizing the media, the NGO, the
Internet "opinion leaders" and the broad m***** to become the
principal opinion makers. We could encourage them to make independent
re****ting and comments on the Tibet issue as well as the Beijing
Olympics. They can have voices that are different from the government
positions. In recently years, at the Xiamen PX project and the
southern snow disasters, the Internet civic re****ters went personally
to take photos and publish first-hand eyewitness re****ters to
supplement the official media. During the Lhasa riots, if the Lhasa
residents, victims and toursits can express their own experiences and
feelings freely so that the world can understand the truth about the
riots and voices of the Chinese people, the benefits should outweigh
the drawbacks. As for issues such as the improvement of the economy
and human rights in Tibet, the advances in ethnic policies, the
cultural impact during the process of modernization of Tibet, the
misunderstanding, hostility and their dissolution between the Han and
the Tibetans are more effective for civilians than government
officials to *****s. The transparency of information and diversity of
opinions is a good way to dispel hostilities.
In 1999, Sino-western relation****ps were in turmoil. In May, our
embassy in Serbia was bombed. In December, the WTO Sino-American
bilateral agreement was signed. It took more than six months to turn
around the crisis. There are only 100 days left from the Olympic
torch relay storm in the west to the opening of the Olympics. Time is
even more urgent! The comforting thing is that decent people inside
and outside of China are working hard to dilute the unpleasantness and
create harmony for the forthcoming festivities.
From the center of the storm over the Olympic torch relay in
Paris, the French Senate President Christian Poncelet arrived in
Shanghai on April 21. As soon as he landed, he went immediately to
visit the paralymic torch bearer Jin Jing who was assaulted in Paris
by demonstrators. The Senate President brought a personal letter from
French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The letter expressed "extreme
uneasiness" over the "intolerable attack." It also said that incident
"does not reflect the feelings of the French people towards the
Chinese people" and "it is understandable that the Chinese people
would feel hurt." In the emotionally volatile France, the politicians
are cooling down and considering how to slow down the angry emotions
coming from China.
Chinese Vice-Premier Xi Jinping met with the NBC Olympics coverage
president Dick Ebersole recently. At a time when the Chinese media
and the people are condemning CNN and questioning the seriously
inaccurate coverage of the Lhasa riot as well as hostility against
China, Vice-Premier Xi expressed his "gratitude" towards NBC for its
Olympics coverage. Xi hoped that the various media groups can "work
together" to bring the Olympics to the world. This is an unusual
expression of opinion. We must actively find ways to communicate with
the international media, encourage fair and accurate re****ting, and
reduce the mutual demonization and hostility.
The Chinese government stated through the Xinhua Agency that it
intends to meet with the private envoy of the Dalai Lama. The
classical approach in the theory of social movements is to win over
the moderates and isolate the radicals. This was how the United
States deal with Al Fatah and Hamas, and this is worth our trying. We
can urge the Dalai Lama to use his own influence to restrain the
violent activities of the Tibetan radicals, which befits his status as
a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. The Dalai Lama should also do
things (including towards Tibetans) that are helpful to the peaceful
rise of China.
In truth, the Chinese government has worked very hard to create an
open environment that corresponds to the Olympics. Respecting the
Olympic custom, the Chinese government lifted the restrictions on
foreign correspondents as of January 1, 2007. The foreign
correspondents do not need to apply to conduct interviews outside of
their stationed cities; they "only need the consent of the interviewed
organization and the individuals." Certain previously inaccessible
websites such as Wikipedia, Voice of America and even Playboy can now
be visited. At the Olympic sites, it is possible to purchase foreign
newspapers and magazine. The Chinese Ministry of Culture has extended
invitations around the world to more than 260 excellent shows and
almost 160 art exhibits from more than 80 countries around the world
to appear in Beijing before the opening of the Olympics.
China is rising peacefully. China ex****ts consumer electronics,
shoes and textile products. China is also trying to "ex****t" ideas,
values and lifestyles, as well as the composed and serious attitudes
of a grand nation. The Olympic spirit is part of the human universal
values, and it is basically identical to the notion of human rights to
express diverse opinions. Certain noises may appear around the open
ceremony, but this is part of the culture of the Olympics. There is
no need to say that the Olympics is sacrosanct and inviolable and then
accuse others of violating the Olympic spirit at every turn. We must
not rashly accuse people of being anti-Olympics.
The Olympics host city, the government of the host country and its
people should behave in a mature and civilized manner based upon
rationality and rule of law. They should create a harmonious and open
speech atmosphere for dissenting opinions and thus become a member of
the international community worthy of respect. To use a slogan from
the other side of the Taiwan Strait: "I set off with gratitude, and I
begin my work with humility." We will use this attitude to resolve
the inharmonious factors in society, such as the differences,
estrangements, misunderstandings and historical grievances between the
rich and the poor, between the urban and rural areas and between
ethnic groups. During the process of hosting these Olympics, there
are bound to be some failings and inadequacies. But as Premier Wen
Jiabao said earnestly at the press conference during the Two
Congresses, "The Chinese people are earnest in wanting to have a good
Olympics. I believe that our 1.3 billion people will face the world
with smiles, and the world will also smile back at China."
In the year 2008, science is developed and the economy is
globalized. There will no longer be the Crusades of the Middle Ages,
or the Boxers and the Alliance of the Armies of the Eight Nations
during the late Qing period. The Beijing Olympics placed a sincere
heart in the palms of the Chinese people and the peoples of the world
in the hope of spreading understanding, respect and love, because the
slogan of the Beijing Olympics is:
"One world, one dream!
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