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Originally Posted by Drifterwood  Everyone uses the Olympics as a showcase. Why should China be different, but now you want to call it political. Why shouldn't China be proud of what she has achieved in the last twenty years in many areas? |
China should be proud of many achievements past and present, as it should be ashamed of many other but the former does not excuse the latter. This applies to most nations of course, as do your own comments. Politicisation of sport is old hat, suggesting it's a recent development is a tad disingenuous.
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Originally Posted by Drifterwood Buddhists in violent protest against unconnected people carrying a symbol of unity and hope is in very poor taste and judgement IMO. |
I imagine it's the only way some felt their voice would be heard. But, as in many cases it's often the fringe who give the rest a bad press. Rather like football hooligans vs fans. For the hooligans, achieving bad press for the fans is an intended side effect.
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Originally Posted by Drifterwood Human Rights in China. The truth is that Human Rights have improved considerably in China. This is not the way to help that process. It may be a slow process, but that is the conservative Chinese way. |
Yes it has and yes it is, but a better question would perhaps be -
had China been entirely left to its own devices, what do you suppose the Human Rights situation there would be today? Quote:
Originally Posted by Drifterwood There are many mmany more countries where change will never happen under current regimes that no one is campaigning against, whilst in our own countries our rights are actually being eroded. |
Of course, but China is a nuclear superpower and a major trading partner with the industrialised world. Unlike say, Zimbabwe about which few care or Iraq, well let's not go
there. I'm not suggesting it's an equitable situation, it isn't.
I also agree that rights
are being eroded back home, but in the UK, it's not Government policy that women be forcibly sterilised for having 2 children, nor is freedom of expression (religious, cultural or political) brutally repressed. Yes, I know the official PRC policy on this but reality doesn't always coincide with this and these events don't always represent the express wishes of the PRC upper echelon. Erosion of rights occurring at home isn't an excuse for ignoring contempt for them elsewhere.
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Originally Posted by Drifterwood Yes the Chinese are showcasing themselves to the world and their own people, but in my opinion this will actually help development and freedom. |
Well, I'd say the way the PRC handled recent events resulted in the sort of showcasing they would have been better to have avoided. I suspect, but without real evidence that were it not for the upcoming Games the crackdown in Tibet would have been far quicker and more brutal. Still, I wasn't there and thus have no more
in situ knowledge then you (unless you were there) so perhaps I'm doing the PRC an injustice, but I see little evidence of it.
Drifter, I know you have business dealings with China, and no doubt have greater and more up to date knowledge about the machinations of the PRC than I. It's been just over 3 years since I was last in China and I was their only as a visitor, but I can't help but feel your posts on this are somewhat apologist. Your sole (to my knowledge) condemnation of recent events being along the lines that
'it was unfortunate a few people died', while at the same time intimating the PRC had
every right to do as they did.
I concede I may not be
entirely even handed about this, but I have to question your own objectivity too.