Torch Back in China

With just under 100 days remaining before the opening ceremony of this summer’s Games, the torch has completed the international half of its relay and reached China. After being paraded through Hong Kong (read James Reynold’s blog entry) on Friday, the torch returned to the mainland and travelled through the Southern province of Hainan. Given the chaotic nature of the journey thus far, Beijing officials will undoubtedly be relieved to see the torch on home soil. The remaining legs (which the BBC will continue to cover) are expected to remain peaceful; only the Tibetan leg scheduled for June 20th-21^st is likely to face disruptions.

Meanwhile, talks between Tibetan envoys and Chinese government authorities have begun. Today Chinese President Hu Jintao said he hoped the summit, taking place in the Southern town of Shenzhen, would be a success. However, he also made clear that he would like the Bhuddist leader to acknowledge that Tibet is an integral part of China and not an independent entity. The Dalai Lama insists he doesn’t want independence, but a high level of autonomy, for the predominantly Buddhist Himalayan region. Many Western observers believe that negotiations are doomed to fail.

World Leaders Boycott Opening

Yesterday British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that he won’t be attending the opening ceremony of this summer’s Olympic Games. Downing Street insisted that Brown had never planned to come to the opening, and that he will be present at the closing ceremony as the leader of the next nation to host the Olympics. However, until yesterday, no clear statement had been issued. According to Chinese media reports, Brown’s presence had been expected by Chinese authorities. Political analysts such as the BBC’s Nick Robinson and Simon Carr of the Independent have criticised Brown harshly for his foreign affairs blunder on their blogs.

In late March German Chancellor Angela Merkel became the first leader to boycott the opening ceremony in protest of China’s treatment of Tibet. Merkel had previously enraged the Chinese leadership by receiving the Dalai Lama in Berlin for private talks. French President Sarkozy is also considering the possibility of a boycott and has called on Chinese authorities to reopen discussions with the Dalai Lama. In the US, Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has applauded Brown’s decision and encouraged President Bush to do the same. Bush has confirmed his participation at some stage of the event.

The Journey of (Dis)Harmony Continues

On Monday the chaotic Parisian leg of the Olympic torch rally was cut short due to demonstrations. Several hundred protestors forced police to extinguish the flame at least three times and transport it to its final destination by bus. Chinese organisers also cancelled a reception of the torch in front of City Hall, from which Green Party activists had hung a Tibetan flag and a banner depicting Olympic rings as hand-cuffs. Similar banners could be seen hanging from the city’s main landmarks including the Eiffel tower and Notre Dame.

On Tuesday seven demonstrators were arrested in San Francisco before the torch even arrived, after they had climbed up the Golden Gate Bridge and attached a pro-Tibet banner to it. During the actual relay yesterday, the torch disappeared out of view for an hour, before reappearing a mile inland. Officials decided to take a shorter route to avoid clashes with demonstrators, but neither this measure nor the increased police security were able to prevent confrontations.

Meanwhile China has condemned what it called “attempts to sabotage and destroy” the torch relay. Although experts are calling it a “grotesque embarrassment” and negative PR for Beijing, the government has also announced that it has no plans to cancel the on-going event (Should it be boycotted? What do you think?).

Reactions to London Protest

“I think it really shows to the Chinese people that you can’t fool the world. They have to be broad minded; they can’t just listen to their Chinese TV and then read the Chinese book…”

- Tashi, Tibetan protestor

“‘Free Tibet’ doesn’t mean ‘independent Tibet’. It’s a misconception for most people. When most Western people say ‘free Tibet’ they are simply blindly supporting…”

- Yi Bi, Chinese student and pro-China demonstrator

“My fellow torch bearers got attacked with a fire extinguisher, another one got hit with paint…”

- Lawrence Sinton, carried the torch near St. Paul’s Cathedral

*Reactions courtesy of Camilla Menezes*

Torch Sparks London Protests

London became the centre of heated protests yesterday as the Olympic flame passed through its snow-clad streets. Despite the chilly weather conditions thousands of activists lined the 31-mile route (see map), demonstrating against China’s human rights record and treatment of Tibet. According to the BBC, 35 were arrested as individual demonstrators repeatedly stormed the ring of policemen protecting the torch-bearer. One man even attempted to smother the Olympic flame with a fire extinguisher.

The resulting scenes – security forces wrestling activists, as masses of protestors waved flags and shouted slogans (see original footage) – weren’t far removed from a sporting event. But the political debate, increasingly difficult to extract from this summer’s games, was impossible to overlook. The link between sports and politics was highlighted further by Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s decision not to touch the torch despite greeting it outside 10 Downing Street – a diplomatic move aimed to appease both Tibetan supporters and Chinese officials in equal measures.

Meanwhile in Beijing, China’s state-controlled television networks opted not to show scenes of protest and demonstration. Instead reports focused on peaceful images of the Chinese ambassador handing the torch to a British runner. With another 20 countries left for the torch to travel through, the Chinese censors ought to have their work cut out for them in the coming months. Next stop: Paris, a city well acquainted with the concept of demonstrating and revolting.