David Ohrenstein: Let the Olympic spotlight do its work; boycott strategy could undermine long term goals Posted by The Editors

David Ohrenstein is Senior Counsel to Fontheim International This is a continuation of a series of posts discussing the appropriate U.S. response to the China-Tibet-Olympics controversy. You can read the first post by Frank Jannuzi here, and Michael Schiffer here)

By David Ohrenstein

Ever since China was awarded the Olympics, a debate has raged about whether the games will be a force for liberalization in China or a ratification of the Chinese government’s current system.  The world has been waiting to see how the tension between the world’s most high-profile event and China’s controlled system will play out.  This tension has come to a head over the current crisis in Tibet and the US and broader international community is now wrestling with how best to respond.

The answer is not simple.  The move by several world leaders and the call by Senators Clinton and Obama for President Bush to sit out the opening ceremonies as a statement against the Chinese government’s actions in Tibet (as well as inaction in Darfur) is an attempt to use the Olympics as leverage to force Beijing to modify its behavior.  This strategy, however, has the potential to undermine our longer-term goals. 

The Olympics are an enormous source of national pride for China that touches all segments of Chinese society.  A world leader boycott of the opening ceremonies would not only raise the ire of Chinese authorities, but also of the reformist forces who want to use the games as a means of furthering opening up the country.  Degrading the games to make a political statement has the potential to create a deep well of resentment and distrust in China that could set back, rather than advance, further reforms. 

That said, China should not be given a free pass.  Human rights activists, environmental advocates and other groups should rightly use the international media spotlight on China resulting from the games to draw attention to their legitimate concerns.  This indeed may be the effective leverage we believed the games would provide.  The intense media coverage of the protests surrounding the Olympic torch relay and of the events in Tibet demonstrate that the Chinese government will not be able to easily compartmentalize the games from its broader policies and practices.   The Chinese government should now clearly understand that their ultimate standing in the international community will be judged by the full measure of their actions, not just by whether they pull off a successful Olympics. 

Comments

[peace]

This curretn policy of accomadating China towards everything including letting them have the Olympic games in the hope that somehow the reformist in China could take power as been a failure. If Chinese national identity is so fragile that they would take the boycotting of the Olympics as a insult then maybe it could be a needed wake up call to the Chinese that what they are doing to their own people is wrong. Besides people keep stating terms such as Chinese nationalism, but they don't seem to realize is that the Cantons in the south hate the Mandarains in the north, while the Western part of China is Muslim, and there is always Tibet. The only ones would be truly be offended would be the Mandarian Chinese in the north while I think that the rest of the country would really not care if we boycotted the games.

[Zathras]

I hope I may be forgiven for pointing out the juxtaposition of posts here complaining bitterly about the Washington Post giving repeated Op-Ed space to one commentator who always makes the identical argument about Iraq, and other posts by different authors all making the identical argument about China.

[Mike M.]

Wow, good strategy. We should acquiesce to China's every desire so as not to hurt the prides of its dictators. And then they'll know that we'll be judging them!

[thoughts]

First of all, all the protest against China have crossed the line of decency long ago. The Chinese people have worked extremely hard and have earned their moment in the spotlight. China has been an excellent host and has provided the best that it possibly can, and so far it must be said that the guests have been a tad churlish, to say the least. Seriously, climbing lamp posts and interrupting the path of the torch (which stands for PEACEFUL FRIENDLY COMPETITION, btw) to protest whatever you've got to protest is uncivilized.

And secondly, no matter how much the individual sections of China might fight with each other, when it comes to a matter of national pride like this, you will find that Chinese nationalism and unity is second to none. No minority faction in China will turn its back on its country to side with an outsider, and especially not foreign powers that have repeatedly abused China in the not-so-distant past (and have gotten away with little to no consequences, might I add). Before you criticize China, consider what your country, whatever it may be, has done to others. The Native Americans come to mind, but other examples may doubtlessly be found. Also, might I add that the Native Americans were murdered about 200 years ago, whereas Tibet has been a part of China for what, 900 years?

How far will the demands go? Many of the so-called soldiers of democracy have never been exposed to Chinese culture and history in any meaningful sense that might give them the right to judge. If you compare the present condition in China with the condition and restrictions of ten years ago, you will see that China has made leaps and bounds. Very few countries have made so many changes in such a short period. Yet, the demands keep coming, even though China is trying to change and is indeed changing. It must be said that the demands sound less like friendly advice and more like petty, patronizing snippets from past-and-present world powers who are intimidated by the idea of a shift in power.

That having been said, may the best win.

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