Thursday, April 17, 2008

China torch flare-up downunder

The keystone cop antics of the torch run through San Francisco made great TV entertainment around the world, a real PR coup for someone I guess, but not the Olympics.

Australia is shaping up to cause even more angst for China, the Olympic hosts. The presence of armed US security during last years APEC meeting was an anomaly and was not well received locally. Australian’s don’t tolerate foreign security on their soil.

While the Murdoch press is busy stirring the pot on this, insisting Chinese guards will be protecting the torch local authorities have warned that “Chinese guards travelling with the Olympic torch could be arrested if they lay hands on protesters in Canberra.”

The tracksuited Chinese officials, recruited from paramilitary police forces, were heavily criticised for perceived heavy-handed tactics in London and Paris.” The Guardian UK

Meanwhile thousands of Chinese expatriates are mobilising to defend the Olympic torch from pro-Tibet "scum" when it passes through the Australian capital.

“Chinese community leaders are invoking patriotism in an attempts to drum up a “people’s army” in Canberra next week.” Telegraph UK

It is ironic that Chinese nationals, in the name of patriotism, should choose to draw even more negative international attention to the torch relay. Sadly, at the same time, they risk driving racial divisions in this country.

So much for the spirit of peace and co-operation.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

“Chinese guards travelling with the Olympic torch could be arrested if they lay hands on protesters in Canberra.”

Damn! I would pay good money to see that. Might have happened here as well if our mayor hadn't promulgated a little Olympian subterfuge the day of the run.

Cartledge said...

I thought the SF show was wonderful in its own right.

TomCat said...

I wonder if they have been taking lessons, in addition to our money, from Dubya.

Cartledge said...

Tom, do you think they need lessons?

Anonymous said...

I hope you down-unders still hava all those barriers you put up when Bush visited last year. You're going to need them.

lindsaylobe said...

I see there is also considerable angst in japan~ not that these 2
countries share the best relations.

Reference on April 18 as reported on Bloomberg) –

The Zenkoji Temple in Nagano Prefecture in Japan has refused to act as the starting point for the torch relay on April 26 as monks are concerned for the safety of the temple and continue to voice concerns about China’s treatment of Tibetans.

Best wishes

TomCat said...

Probably not, Cart. Dubya just seems more disgusting, because he's our nightmare.

D.K. Raed said...

and yet in the chinese "press", their people are being told as the olympic torch passes from country to country, it is being well received! Hope Australia puts the end to that fantasy.

I'm glad the Buddhist Temple in Japan told them to shove off.

Hey, you have a new avatar? Looks kind of like a head vise?

Cartledge said...

Abi, they have been talking about using them, but authorities are wary of stirring things up even more. Anyway i think they need them to protect the Pope in Sydney.

Lindsay, I guess they sill haven't kissed and made up...

DK, I've read reports today that the issue is all over the Chinese language web. In fact the real problem here is being driven by 'patriotic' students here in Australia.
Head Press??? That is my hand press, my return to 18th century radicalism :(

D.K. Raed said...

I know (it is a hand press, like a dynamite plunger) ... I was just yanking your chain! But it does resemble a vise wherein anything could be inserted for squeezing (such as head). Or wait, maybe it is like an old-fashioned printing press, squeezing out "words"? whatever, I like it!

Praguetwin said...

I saw a very interesting YouTube piece the other day which claimed that the Chinese were the victims in Tibet and the Dali Lama is a terrorist.

Heady stuff

Cartledge said...

PT, I expect china will need more than youtube vids to undo the PR ,es they are creating for themselves.