IOC Urges Beijing to Get Ready for 2008
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The IOC has a word of advice for organizers of the 2008 Olympics &#151; prepare. Determined to avoid a repeat of the construction delays that threatened the Athens Games, Olympic officials arrived in Beijing on Wednesday.
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(InfoWorld) - The eyes of the world are looking towards Beijing for the Olympic Games that will be held here fewer than 11 months from now. But for real China watchers, an event next month will draw much greater attention and have a much greater impact on the country than 16 days of athletics. In mid-October, China's ruling Communist Party will meet for its regular five-year congress. Unlike the annual National People's Congress, the Communist Party Congress sets the nation's agenda for the next five years, and usually results in a shuffling of ministers and even military leaders. China's economy, despite major market reforms over the past 25-odd years, is still centrally planned, and operates on five-year plans with specific targets and goals that are approved during the meeting. Unlike the Olympics, for which most observers expect generallyÂ unfettered Internet accessÂ and the nation going out of its way to show that it's kinder and gentler, the party congress is a time of tension, especially in Beijing. Wikipedia's recent re-blocking in China is certainly no coincidence, and as the meeting approaches,Â more blockingsÂ and a network slowdown should be expected. A slew of new, anti-"vulgarity" policies have just come down from the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT), designed to keep sex and violence off the airwaves. Offline, visitors to Beijing can expect an increased police presence, possibly including roadblocks and inspections at night. China's government representatives work full-time and for the most part are specialists, not generalists. Policy pronouncements come from the respective ministries and state administrations charged with regulating those particular areas. For example, the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) handles technology in general, meaning IT and telecommunications. Those regulatory announcements come out at other points, and therefore more specific news, likeÂ the issuance of 3G (third-generation) licenses, won't be issued during the congress. What role technology will play in China's next five years will be clearer one month from now. Although the party congress is very much a broad-strokes event, the prominent mention of various aspects of the economy sets the tone for the coming five years. During former President Jiang Zemin's reign, science and technology were at the forefront of the nation's direction. However, current leader Hu Jintao, has attempted to reduce the corruption so prevalent during Jiang's time, and has tried to make rural reform and closing the gap between rich and poor a priority. As such, agricultural technology, rather than IT, may receive more public attention during the congress.
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Olympic medalists will take another bow and several hopefuls for the 2008 Beijing Games will take out some frustrations for the next five days at the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Indianapolis.
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LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- Olympic athletes may be allowed to blog for the first time at the 2008 Beijing Games.
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday offered to help China with security at next year's Olympic Games, saying it posed a massive challenge for local authorities.
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China exuded optimism on Tuesday about the 2008 Beijing Olympics, saying its centuries of culture and history would light up the world, even as organizers came under renewed pressure to fulfill a media freedom pledge.
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China's top cop said terrorism is the biggest threat at its Olympic Games, and a leading terror expert warned Tuesday that Beijing faces a long-term threat from an Islamic separatist group in its far west.
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Preparations for the Beijing 2008 Olympics are well on schedule but pollution is still a concern, the International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday.
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Terrorism is the biggest threat to next year's Beijing Olympics, a state newspaper cited top Chinese security officials as saying on Tuesday, a concern echoed by the head of Interpol.
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More doping tests and tighter controls await athletes at August's Beijing Games, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge said on Wednesday.
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Beijing should not wait too long to complete venues for the 2008 Olympics, a top official from the International Olympic Committee said in the capital yesterday.
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While celebrating unprecedented success at the Athens Olympics, China has its sights firmly set on the Beijing Games in four years when they hope to present the country&#39;s new face to the world.
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Chinese officials are flouting a pledge made to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which helped to secure the 2008 games for Beijing, by harassing and abusing journalists, Human Rights Watch said Friday.
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International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge tried to erase Beijing&#39;s money worries Monday, saying that hosting the Games will benefit the country.
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Beijing's 2008 Olympic organizers have said the Games venues will be completed by the end of 2007, despite an ongoing graft investigation into top officials overseeing their construction.
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SOCHI, Russia  - Russia faces a challenge to be ready on time to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials assessing the country's bid for the Games said on Friday.
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Beijing's police chief said on Monday some 80,000 guards, including police officers and state-approved volunteers, would assist security service forces at next year's Olympics, state media reported.