Olympics: Games chief criticises western media

Sean Ingle
London Guardian
Thursday, Aug 14, 2008

A senior official for the Beijing Olympics today criticised parts of the international media for coming to China “to peek, to be critical, to dig into the small details and find fault” in the country’s human rights record.

In what was the most fractious IOC-Bocog press conference yet, journalists repeatedly demanded to know whether a single Chinese citizen had been granted permission to use the three Protest Parks set up for the Games. Wei Wang, the secretary general of the Beijing organising committee, claimed twice that he had not been given figures from the Office of Public Security before finally allowing his frustrations to show.

“After 30 years of reform China has developed greatly,” he said. “People enjoy more freedom. People are living a good life. Everyone is happy. That’s a fact. Of course there are exceptions, like in any other country. But they need to take the legal process and procedures to resolve any issues. We cannot allow this country to be in chaos.”

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“There are a few people who have come here to peek, to be critical, to dig into the small details and find fault,” he added. “This does not mean that we are not fulfilling our promises [over human rights to the IOC]. The whole country can see how can China has developed; how China has genuinely welcomed the world to enjoy everything with us.”

The IOC was also repeatedly asked by a Channel 4 journalist whether it was “in any way embarrassed” by the Chinese government “lying through its teeth” about keeping its promises to improve human rights and press freedom. The IOC communication’s director Giselle Davies prevaricated several times, claiming that “We have to note that there have been enormous steps forward in a number of areas” – but failed to answer the question

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