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As
the Olympic torch passed through Argentina and Oman relatively
peacefully, Chinese officials and the IOC can take a much needed
breather before the inevitable media storm builds up again as it edges
its way eastwards. In this calm before the
storm, it has emerged that President Hu Jintao has held historic talks
with the Taiwanese vice-president elect, Vincent Siew. Great timing
really, that whilst we momentarily forget about the Tibet-China
situation we hear news of China thawing relations with its other
bothersome child, Taiwan. In his state of the union address to the
Chinese Parliament in March, Premier Wen Jiabao stated that "we will
never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the motherland in any guise
or by any means;" adding "reunification of the two sides is inevitable
in the course of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." So what were
the talks for? Was any political headway made?
Hardly. Wen Jiabao's words were telling on their views on policies in
general, a sheer stubbornness, a refusal to back down. Hence the
anti-China activism that has appeared on our screens since the Olympic
torch began its relay has been reduced to nothing more than an exercise
in public relations rather than politics.
In
that sense, China is losing badly. If the reports that the Chinese
government have been calling for bids from foreign PR companies are
true, then they at least recognise that they are doing something wrong.
Yet rather than looking inside and actually doing something about it,
it's always easier to look externally. The UK and USA do also have poor
human rights records, the Tibetans did attack ethnic Hans, and the
pro-Tibet protesters did extinguish the "sacred flame" when it was in
the hands of a wheelchair athlete; these are all hypocritical things on
their part, but if China are wondering how to stop protests occurring,
the answer lies in looking inwards. Up until now, nothing has been done
in attempting to change Chinese policy: there has been no resolution
towards holding talks with the Dalai Lama, no attempt to clean up their
policy towards human rights, and nothing towards greater freedom of
press. All that has been done is the reduction of pollution. Instead,
the anti-China protests and the criticisms made by world leaders has
just lead to greater sense of ‘China versus the world' and further
isolation of a country intent on showing off its furniture to the
world. For one, now that there have been criticisms and advice given to
the Chinese government as to how to adjust its policy, the potential to
lose face means that Chinese officials are not willing to walk away
with their tail between their legs.
Whilst
they are concerned about their tarnished image in recent weeks, China
are not helping themselves in this PR exercise. Their unwillingness to
let more Western journalists into Tibet is telling of their refusal to
back down to criticism, and Beijing's second-in-command in Tibet, Qiangba
Puncog's remark that those who try to obstruct the Olympic torch relay
will be "severely punished," shows the narrow attitude as to
how China are willing reach their means. Any challenge on Chinese
policy is a challenge on the Chinese ideal in general and, as many
Chinese internet websites show, has fuelled nationalist furore, with
Chinese citizens protective of their government's regime. Boycotts by
certain politicians have also antagonised China's relationship with the
West, but such boycotts serve to do nothing more than give the
politicians a sense of moral one-upmanship. Why not hold talks with
Chinese officials instead? That would produce greater headway
politically, but now that such politicians as Angela Merkel, the German
Chancellor, have decided to boycott the Olympics, holding talks with
China will be a diplomatic struggle. As well as this, are we not
forgetting that there are further Olympics to come? Will Chinese
officials happily attend the London Olympics as if nothing happened?
Not a chance.
All
in all, China must have known such a backlash was going to occur the
moment they received the award to host the Olympics. Allen Carlson of
Cornell University, who has studied Chinese policy on Tibet states that
"to a certain extent, Beijing is reaping what it sowed by making
nationalism a basis for legitimacy." Yes, everyone knew that protests
would occur, but China, with its sheer stubbornness, never expected it
to be like this. However much humiliation they suffer by the protests
and boycotts that occur, China would much rather have it this way than
suffer the humiliation of conceding defeat. When the Olympic torch
reaches Tibet itself, and embarks on a journey up Everest, it will be
interesting to see not what will happen, but on how China responds, but
if there is a pattern to be followed, what we can expect is that
nothing of political significance will occur.
Leon Lau
What do you think? Do you agree with Leon? Share your perspective here.
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