Saturday, April 05, 2008
The China Question
I have never been a fan of allowing the Olympics to be staged in China. When they lost out the first time I cheered. When they were awarded the games this time I was disappointed.
Many argued that if we wanted China to behave responsibly towards their citizens then we needed to trust them with international responsibilities. Alas, that is not how it has worked out. It seems that you can lead a old communist to water but you cannot make them drink.
The news in today's Guardian that police have turned automatic weapons on crowds during protests in Sichuan province, killing up to eight Tibetans, is just the latest in a series of outrages. We cannot tolerate this much longer and surely it is time that Britain demonstrated its outrage in a more tangible way.
That is why I am one hundred per cent behind Nick Clegg's call for Gordon Brown to pull out of the ceremony to welcome the Olympic torch to London this weekend. I also agree with him that the Prime Minister cannot attend the Beijing Games 'in good conscience', unless and until the Chinese Government takes steps to 'honour the spirit of the Olympics' in its conduct from Tibet to Darfur.
This is not about involving sportsmen and women in politics, it is about politicians acting in accordance to their stated principles. It is about sending a message to the Chinese that we will not tolerate their behaviour nor will they be welcome within the international community whilst they persist with these human rights abuses.
Many argued that if we wanted China to behave responsibly towards their citizens then we needed to trust them with international responsibilities. Alas, that is not how it has worked out. It seems that you can lead a old communist to water but you cannot make them drink.
The news in today's Guardian that police have turned automatic weapons on crowds during protests in Sichuan province, killing up to eight Tibetans, is just the latest in a series of outrages. We cannot tolerate this much longer and surely it is time that Britain demonstrated its outrage in a more tangible way.
That is why I am one hundred per cent behind Nick Clegg's call for Gordon Brown to pull out of the ceremony to welcome the Olympic torch to London this weekend. I also agree with him that the Prime Minister cannot attend the Beijing Games 'in good conscience', unless and until the Chinese Government takes steps to 'honour the spirit of the Olympics' in its conduct from Tibet to Darfur.
This is not about involving sportsmen and women in politics, it is about politicians acting in accordance to their stated principles. It is about sending a message to the Chinese that we will not tolerate their behaviour nor will they be welcome within the international community whilst they persist with these human rights abuses.
Comments:
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I agree entirely. I don't understand Brown's stance at all. China is behaving terribly. In the 'words' of Bjork, "TIBET!"
Would you wish to ban chinese althletes from the 2012 olympics in London, England?
# posted by 
: 2:30 AM
: 2:30 AM
I made it clear that I am not seeking to either ban athletes or to persuade them to boycott the games. I am suggesting that senior politicians, who supposedly represent their country, should make a point by not attending certain events. Judging by China's sensitivities about these matters in the past, it will be very effective.
Appeasment is never a good idea - look how we appeased Hitler - "peace in our time" BS. As a Welsh kid with a strong Welsh accent in a London comprehensive school I learnt that it is best never to appease a big bully. (My father, from a Welsh village called Cymmer, moved us in search of work to London from Trowbridge council estate via a council house exchange.)
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