Between the invention of writing and paper and the secrecy of a communist state that controls the internet, China is a country worth looking into.
China, or should I say the People’s Republic of China, the name echoes a mixture of mystery and intrigue. This country populated by more than 1.3 billion people holds ancient secrets and recent political controversies notably with the imminent Olympic Games.
Having recently travelled to China, Olympic hosting cities like Beijing and Shanghai were trying to get buildings done in time. There were TV ads telling people not to spit, to be respectful of one another and basically make sure that anyone coming for the games would see how great China is as a country.
And it is. But not for the reasons the Chinese Government would like it to be. It is for the loaded and fascinating culture it has; for the temples and the religion, the nature, its poets and thinkers and of course the food! Ah, how I long for a bowl of noodles from Xi’an. And no, there wasn’t any dog in them as it is a very expensive meat only eaten for special occasions and for men who might want to be re boost their virility.
It seems easy to criticise China for their appalling history of human rights violations, which are hard to comprehend from a Western perspective. However, with regards to China’s history it is also questionable how the Olympic committee tolerates the Chinese state’s approach to making the country ready for this major event.
Wu Jianmin, President of the Chinese Foreign Affairs University and former Chinese ambassador to France, said at a conference in Beijing that for China, hosting the Olympics is “a dream old of a century”.
Yang Lingli, university professor in Beijing said: “People in Beijing have better awareness of the Olympic spirit. They enthusiastically take part in all kinds of sports or Olympic-theme activities. They feel proud that such a great event will be held in Beijing and hope they can really do something for it. People here are more open-minded to the outside world.”
China is a country which has a lot to offer through a rich history and the incredible warm hospitality, and friendliness of its people. And through those aspects, China will be a great addition to the history of Olympic host nations.
Before arriving in China I had been warned that language would be a barrier, but it is possible always to find your way with a few glossaries, body language and a smile. The only exception was one restaurant were we pointed at a picture with a prawn stir-fry and got fried peanuts instead.
The younger generation speaks English and learns it in school just as we learn Spanish or German. And you can always be sure that whenever there’s a bargain to be made, there’s someone to shout you out a price in English or whip out a calculator to haggle.
That is not to say that there are no dramatic, cultural differences, which might appear overwhelming for tourist and Olympic contestants.
Brieg Lemétayer, resident in Beijing says: “The Chinese are well-known for their lack of manners which can be a shocking experience for a foreigner. The Chinese Government wants to make of its capital a showcase of the country by educating its population”.
Lemétayer goes on explaining how on the 11th of each month Beijing has a ‘day of ‘politeness’ where there should be no insults, no fights, respecting queues in the metro.
Queuing is a big problem for tourists in China. It might take you some time to realise that to get on or off a train or a bus the rule is that there are no rules. Another surprise for the western public might be experiencing the public toilet, often with no doors and the smell evident from 200 metres away.
There is however one obvious worry surfacing the debate over the Chinese Olympic Games and that is the problem faced by industrial activity, resulting in a grey blanket of pollution covering the major cities.
When landing in Beijing, the air was smoggy and hot and my first thought was, I’m definitely in Asia. Now I wonder how the athletes participating in this summer’s Olympic Games are going to cope. During the four weeks I travelled China, blue sky and sun were present for a total of three days. The rest was a hazy, grey and humid cloud.
The Olympics are only months away and it will go ahead despite the criticism the event is facing, and China I am sure China will pull it off in the same degree that Athens did four years ago, by proving the opposition wrong. Plans have been announced to halt the traffic and the construction a few months before the start of the games in order to improve the air quality. One method being by the government in Beijing to ensure a blue sky the next day is shooting chemical rockets that will disperse the rain clouds.
However, while visitors can leave China after the 16 days long event is over, opinions differs on the lasting implications for the Chinese people.
Yang Lingli says: “The benefits (from the games) are not just short term. The strong growth momentum the Olympic Games create will continue to promote China’s development in every aspect for quite a long time even after the Games 2008. I think Chinese politics will not be altered. But the Chinese government will adopt a more open minded approach to other governments to create a peaceful and harmonious political environment.”
Brieg Lemétayer says: “The wealthier Chinese are going to get the most economical advantages from the games. The more conservatives and communists Chinese fear the consequences of such an opening of their country. And finally the poorer population which is brought in from the provinces for labour will then be asked to leave once the games start”.
