The Beijing Olympics

Sign promoting the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing

Sign promoting the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing

Since 2001, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose Beijing as the location for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, China has spent about $50 billion to prepare. The money has gone to build an airport, 170 new miles of subway lines, and Olympic facilities that include a 1,680-acre park. China hopes that the Olympics will act as a showcase, proving to the world that China has become an economic powerhouse.

But as the games draw near, protests over China’s treatment of Tibet and other human rights policies, as well as worries about pollution in Beijing, have many people worried that the Olympics will not go as smoothly as planned. China rules over the largely-Buddhist region of Tibet. Protesters who believe that China has treated Tibetan citizens unfairly have held protests in many cities around the world, disrupting the running of the Olympic torch. There have also been protests over China’s support of the government of the African country of Sudan, where there is ongoing violence in the Darfur region. Finally, with all of the pollution in Beijing, the IOC is worried about the health of the Olympic athletes. The committee has demanded that China meet clean air standards or provide locations outside of Beijing to hold certain events.

Chinese officials and others have expressed concern over the protests, saying that the Olympics are about sportsmanship and good will, and that political issues should not be a part of the Games. But others believe that since the Olympics turn the eyes of the world upon China, that they are a good opportunity to raise awareness of the important issues.

Image credit:  © Felix Stenson/f1 online/Alamy Ltd

Related Links

  • Map of China
    Map of China from the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection at the University of Texas.
    (Source: University of Texas)
  • Beijing’s Olympic War on Smog
    Covers China’s problem with pollution in Beijing, and its attempts to fix the problem.
    (Source: TIME, April 15, 2008)
  • A Stomach-Turning Olympic Dinner with Mia Farrow
    Details protests over the genocide in Darfur and China’s support of the Sudanese government.
    (Source: MinnPost.com, April 15, 2008)
  • No One Benefits from Full-Scale Olympic Boycott
    Opinion piece stating that boycotting the Olympics or the opening ceremony hurts the athletes and the spirit of the Games. Includes a history of boycotted Olympics.
    (Source: Yahoo Sports, April 16, 2008)
  • Beijing Rebuffs Olympics Critics
    China’s foreign minister has denounced attempts to bring political issues to the Olympics.
    (Source: BBC, March 12, 2008)

Critical Thinking Questions

  1. Summarize
    Explain why protesters in cities around the world disrupted the running of the Olympic torch.
  2. Causes and Effects
    What led to the major pollution problem that China has in Beijing, and what are they doing to solve the problem before the Olympics?
  3. Form and Support Opinions
    Do you think that the Olympics are the proper setting to voice political opinions? Why or why not?


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