Dispatches from China (..and London too!)

Welcome to London

2008-10-18T23:35:00.003+08:00

St. James's Park, London, 2008

After living in China for two years, I have arrived in London via Minnetonka and New York. It's my first time in Europe and I am charmed. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

Ka CHING! Olympic Cash Money Flow

2008-09-11T02:31:00.001+08:00

Cashing in on Olympic Gold

Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Nastia Liukin Reap More Gold After the Olympics

By DAVID MUIR and JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug. 26, 2008 —

Michael Phelps, the eight-time gold medalist in Beijing, has won more gold than any Olympic athlete ever. Just because the torch has been extinguished, though, doesn't mean Phelps' gold rush is over.

Actually, the gold mining has only just begun.

"If you're Michael Phelps, sitting there with those eight gold medals, the gold is just waiting to be cashed in, and the answer is yes he will," said Christine Brennan, USA Today columnist and ABC News sports consultant.

When the Beijing Olympics kicked off Aug. 8, Phelps was already cashing in. He'd earned a reported $5 million annually from endorsements for Visa, PowerBar, Omega, AT&T and Speedo.

Ryan Schinman, a sports marketing consultant and CEO of Platinum Rye Entertainment, told ABC News, "Most major corporations, whether it is an AT&T, Visa or Speedo, they are looking years in advance who to attach themselves to in these Olympic Games. By the time the Olympics come around, they have a game plan."

Speedo had a strategy in place indeed. In the middle of his quest for eight gold medals in Beijing, Phelps received a widely publicized $1 million bonus from Speedo for his effort in breaking Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record of seven in one Olympic Games.

Now that Phelps has won all eight, many in the sports marketing industry believe Phelps' corporate income could set new records. Many major corporations have jumped on the gold medal bandwagon.

Phelps is on his way to your breakfast table. Kellogg's, the cereal company, is featuring the eight-time gold medal-winning swimmer on special edition boxes of Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes. They are expected to hit shelves across to the United States in mid-September.

Visa also hasn't wasted anytime launching advertisements in Beijing and the United States featuring Phelps in and out of the pool.

Phelps isn't the only champion taking advantage of his athletic feats. Shortly after American gymnast Nastia Liukin took gold in all-around gymnastics, Visa showed her its brand-new limited edition credit card with a picture of her leaping across it. Liukin is loving it.

"This is so cool," she exclaimed when ABC News showed her the card. Visa says the card will be made available to customers throughout the United States this fall.

Sometimes when athletes win on the world stage, their corporate sponsors also come away extra lucky.

Three-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt is the perfect example. Following his 100-meter record-breaking win, Bolt pulled off his gold Puma running shoes. When he held up his shoes for the crowd, cameras zoomed in and Puma scored a priceless advertisement that surely made Nike and Adidas cringe.

"When they have a deal with a gentleman like Bolt who wears gold Puma sneakers, then takes them off after the race and shows them to the world, they just picked the right guy and he ultra-performed," sports marketing consultant Schinman explained to ABC News.

Puma is the first and the beginning what probably will be a cascade of sponsorship deals for Bolt.

"Take a look at what he is all about. Fast. What comes to mind you have watches, you have energy drinks," Schinman said. "You have that big smile maybe someone like Crest says, 'That's [the] smile I want behind my white strips.'"

Athletes Tread Carefully

However, not every gold medalist lives the sponsorship fairy tale. A champion who might seem monumentally important during the Olympics sometimes fades out of public view.

For example, take Mary Lou Retton and Carly Patterson. Retton captured gold in 1984 and 24 years later remains a household name. Patterson also won the gold in women's gymnastics four years ago but hasn't had the same staying power.

In general, Americans have short memories. Will they remember the newly crowned gymnastics champion Nastia Liukin next year? It's a question that every champion and agent must consider in the afterglow of the Games.

Athletes and agents are well aware of the possibility of obscurity, and Phelps and his team are trying to make sponsorship decisions carefully. Surely it will be difficult for the eight-time gold medalist to completely fade away, but maximizing his star power in the long run is a different challenge.

For Phelps, appearances and endorsement possibilities have undoubtedly been flying from all directions. Phelps and his agent, Peter Carlisle at Octagon, are thinking carefully about their next steps to balance his clean-cut American image and cash in on one of the best sports marketing opportunities in history.

Carlisle told The Wall Street Journal last week that he expects Phelps' current annual earnings to at least double.

"What is the value of eight golds in Beijing before a prime-time audience in the U.S?" Carlisle told the newspaper. "I'd say $100 million over the course of his lifetime."

Phelps and Retton before him are two of a long series of American athletes who have taken advantage of their Olympic success. Many athletes, like decathlete Olympic champion Bruce Jenner, have made careers out of their Olympic fame.

American track star Carl Lewis has done the same. Twelve years after winning his last gold medal, Lewis came to Beijing to root for American athletes, and to promote McDonald's and their Champion Kids program.

At the fast food chain's promotional event, Lewis talked to children about what makes a champion and how one day he hoped to see the children racing on the track or winning in the Olympic pool.

"One day some of these kids are going to be Olympians and I will be excited to watch that," he told ABC News.

In the meantime, McDonald's is more than happy to watch Lewis in action.

Soon, Lewis will be joined by another Olympic champion, Phelps, and together the famous Olympians will continue mining more gold from their hard-won medals.

And it's OVER!

2008-08-26T12:14:00.001+08:00

Beijing Olympics close in grand style (click here)

Part of the ABC News Olympic Team

2008-08-25T17:40:00.003+08:00

Do you ever wonder who is behind the best news in television? This is part of the ABC News Olympic Team on Day 1 of Year 1 AO (After Olympics), including our wonderful engineers, ABC Radio correspondents, crew, producers and intern hailing from everywhere (New York, London, Jerusalem, LA and of course Beijing). Check back again soon for more photos from behind the scenes.

Who's carrying the U.S. flag? Khatuna Lorig, that's who.

2008-08-24T21:22:00.001+08:00

http://blogs.abcnews.com/worldview/2008/08/whos-carrying-o.html

Bling

2008-08-23T11:23:00.003+08:00

Beijing is overflowing with celebrities old and new - and last night we met none other than Evander Holyfield at Bling, a new club in town. And blingin it was...the US sprinting and weightlifting teams were also there, wearing their Olympic medals and other shiny things.

(The other celeb in the picture is the illustrious Tommy Fu, Rice senior and USOC translator for USA basketball - sweet job!)

American baseball legend Satchel Paige once asked, “How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?” He Kexin replied, "16!"

2008-08-23T11:18:00.003+08:00

International Olympic Committee Investigates Underage Gymnasts Claims

Olympic committee probes new evidence that China's gymnasts are underage.

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug. 22, 2008

The International Olympic Committee today asked the international gymnastics federation, known as the FIG, to examine the ages of Chinese gymnasts in light of potential evdience that at least one of them is younger than 16.

In addition, U.S. Olympic Committee Chief Executive Jim Scherr said his organization sent a letter to the IOC and the FIG asking them to "the review the matter to see if they can't resolve it for the good of the competition, the integrity of the competition and the good of all the athletes." The new search for information comes after persistent media accounts that recently crowned Olympic gold medal gymnast He Kexin competed in earlier domestic competitions using a birthdate that made her ineligible to compete in the Beijing Olympics.

A U.S. blogger known as Stryde Hax wrote Thursday that he had uncovered Chinese state documents that proved He is 14 and not 16, which is the minimun age requirement to compete in the Olympics. The blogger found the documents on the Internet using the cache feature of two Internet search engines. The cache tool allows users to go back and view Web sites that are no longer available for viewing.

The blogger said he found documents that the Chinese government has since taken offline. Although they had been partially removed from Google's cache, the blogger said he then found them on the Chinese search engine, Baidu.

Whether any new information will surface is unclear. IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies cautioned reporters in a news conference today that no new information has surfaced but that the organization will go forward with the inquiry.

"You shouldn't regard this as some kind of formal investigation," Davies said. "The IOC is simply wanting to do its duty and work with the federation to 100 percent clarify the situation."

Identity Documents

Wang Wei, Beijing Olympics organizing committee spokesman and executive vice president, said that He's age has already been legally confirmed as 16.

Several weeks ago, the Chinese federation sent the FIG official documents, including a copy of He's passport and national identity card (also obtained by ABC News), all of which indicated that He is 16.

"These documents have already been clarified, things have been cleared up," Wang said. "The eligibility of the athletes has already been investigated and authorized by the international federation. And if they haven't been cleared, they would not be able to participate in the Games."

For the sake of American gymnasts, Steve Penny, the president of USA Gymnastics, welcomes more information, if at all possible.

"USA Gymnastics has always believed this issue needed to be addressed by the FIG and IOC," Penny said in a statement. "An investigation would help bring closure to the issue and remove any cloud of speculation from this competition."

Detering Cheats

Meanwhile, China's gymnastics coach Lu Shanzhen said his gymnasts have faced "groundless suspicion." They have chalked up the inquiry to a fierce U.S.-China rivalry in gymnastics.

"Because the competition is so strong and close between the U.S. and Chinese teams, we've come under this level of scrutiny and pressure," Lu told Associated Press Television.

Frank Fredericks, a former Namibian sprinter and president of the IOC Athletes Commission, sees this investigation as more than a China versus U.S. investigation. To Fredericks, it is an opportunity to deter potential cheating in the future.

"We are telling the cheats there won't be possibility to cheat anymore," he said. "Because they are not just cheating themselves, they are cheating other athletes from taking their victory ceremonies, from carrying their flags around, to hearing their national anthems. So I think I would not stop fighting."

Wait and See

He and any of her Chinese teammates would be disqualified if they were found to be underage. The upshot is that she would lose her gold medal in the uneven bars to U.S. silver medal winner Nastia Liukin. And the Chinese would lose the gold for team all-around to the United States.

As for what the FIG and IOC will ultimately find, no one knows. But, according to ABC News sports analyst Christine Brennan, today's inquiry represents a turning point for the IOC.

"Are they really going to look?" Brennan asked. "Because if they do, they're going to find what bloggers and reporters have already found ... that the Chinese cheated."

As the IOC looks closer, so far there is no official proof that He is anything but 16.

To see the evidence found on the Internet at Stryde Hax's blog click here.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Showboltin' in Beijing

2008-08-22T15:37:00.000+08:00

IOC President Tells Jamaican 'Showbolt' to Simmer Down, Carl Lewis Says He's Just Young

August 21, 2008 8:46 AM

By JO LING KENT, ABC News Beijing

In case you haven't heard, Usain Bolt is kind of a big deal - and the Olympic champ knows it. In the 100-meter and 200-meter races, Bolt not only won both golds but also set two world records in the process, becoming the first man in history to accomplish such a feat.

With a huge lead in the final 20 meters of Saturday's 100-meter final, Bolt slowed down, outstretched his arms, and fist-bumped his chest before crossing the finish line in a world record time of 9.69 seconds. The crowd, caught up in the heat of the moment, ate it up.

On Wednesday in the 200-meter final, Bolt thrilled the crowd again. He broke American Michael Johnson's 12-year-old record, wrapped himself in a Jamaican flag, and immediately began galloping around the track on his victory lap. Moving to reggae music, he peered into a television camera yelling, "I am No. 1!"

For his fans in the Bird's Nest and around the world, Bolt's celebrations were a welcome theatrical addition to one of the most popular events at the Olympics. But in the eyes of others, Bolt - or "Showbolt" as some fondly call him here in the ABC News' Beijing bureau - may have gone a little too far.

The criticism came straight from the top. Today, the president of the International Olympics Committee, Jacques Rogge, chided Bolt for showing what he thought was a lack of respect to other competitors after his record-breaking gold medal performances.

Of course, Rogge first hailed Bolt's impressive achievements in the two sprints and compared him to American track and field legend Jesse Owens.

"Bolt is in another dimension in sprints," Rogge said in a news conference. "Bolt must be considered now the same way like Jesse Owens should have been in the 1930s."

But as for Bolt's post-race celebration, Rogge said, "That's not the way we perceive being a champion."

"I have no problem with him doing a show," the IOC chief told the Associated Press. "I think he should show more respect for his competitors and shake hands, give a tap on the shoulder to the other ones immediately after the finish and not make gestures like the one he made in the 100 meters."

"I understand the joy," Rogge continued. "He might have interpreted that in another way, but the way it was perceived was 'catch me if you can.' You don't do that. But he'll learn. He's still a young man."

He is a young man indeed. Today is Bolt's 22nd birthday. He certainly has a lot to celebrate, but Rogge is hoping he'll simmer down.

"He still has to mature," Rogge said. "I would love him to show more respect for his competitors. That's not the way we perceive being a champion. But he will learn in time. He should shake hands with his competitors and not ignore them. He'll learn that sooner or later. But [he's] a great athlete, of course."

Bolt is the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win the 100-meter and 200-meter gold medals at a single Olympics. Jesse Owens did the same at the 1936 Berlin Games, snagging long jump and relay gold medals as well.

Lewis, who is in Beijing rooting for American athletes, told ABC News today, "I think everybody gets caught up in the heat of it sometimes, especially when you're young."

"You can't always talk down to [young people] so I think it was a good message saying, 'Hey, be mindful of that.'"

Whether or not Bolt will heed Rogge's advice is neither here nor there. After all, today's his birthday and he'll do what he wants.

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.

August 21, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (80)

Half of the gold-medal winning Phelps relay team

2008-08-22T02:16:00.002+08:00

Jason Lezak (the swimmer who saved Phelps's first relay gold medal by a touch),
Cullen Jones and me at the USA House in Beijing.

Interview with Olympic Champ Nastia Liukin

2008-08-21T12:38:00.002+08:00

U.S. Gymnast Claims Father's Missed Medal: Interview with Nastia Liukin
American Nastia Liukin Claims Her Father's Missed Gymnastics Gold Medal

By DAVID MUIR and JO LING KENT
BEIJING, August 20, 2008

With her medals draped around her neck, gymnast Nastia Liukin, a five-time medalist in Beijing and Olympics champion, looks every bit the part.

At 18, this Russian-born American is the daughter of Olympic and world-champion gymnasts. This week, she became a star in her own right, by winning the women's all-around gymnastics finals.

Twenty years ago, at the Seoul Olympic Games, Liukin's father, Valeri, lost the gold in his all-around finals to a fellow Soviet by one-tenth of a point. He now says his daughter "fixed his mistake."

Liukin says she couldn't have gotten here without him.

Supportive Father

Many competitive athletes are motivated by famous role models and untouchable world records, but Liukin is inspired by those in her closest circle, including her Olympian father and her best friends.

She told ABC News in a one-on-one interview that she gets her determination and willpower from her father, who won four Olympic medals -- including two gold -- at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, competing for the former Soviet Union.

Liukin's mother, known then as Anna Kotchneva, was the world champion in rhythmic gymnastics in 1987. Watching old videos of Mrs. Liukin on YouTube, it is clear that her daughter inherited her graceful lines from her mother.

In addition to being genetically blessed, Liukin benefits from having her father double as her coach making her career a true family pursuit. Liukin says her father is a "tough coach," but after she hops off the beam and uneven bars, he is just a dad who happens to be both her coach and an Olympic champion, too.

"To share that Olympic gold with him made all the difference in the world to me," Liukin told ABC News today. "For him to be able to be here with me, he's the one who'd gotten me to this point. Without him I know I wouldn't have accomplished what I have."

The success of Carly Patterson, the 2004 U.S. national champion and Liukin's best friend, also inspired Liukin to chase gold in Beijing.

At the U.S. Senior Nationals four years ago, Patterson scored 76.450 to take home gold. Liukin, who was 14 at the time, won the junior level with 75.950, a score that would have placed her third at the senior level -- allowing her to go to Athens if she were old enough. Because gymnasts are required to be 16 to compete at the games, Liukin stayed home.

"I feel like when Carly won, she was my teammate and best friend, and seeing the things she was able to do and see, that motivated me. So four years ago I said, 'I want to do that too,'" Liukin told ABC News.

With her goal in mind, Liukin aimed for the Beijing Olympics four years later. In 2004, she told the Dallas Morning News, "This is [Carly's] time. It'll be my time in 2008."

And 2008 was her time indeed.

In Beijing, Liukin has picked up five medals of every color, including a team silver medal and her all-around gold -- tying Shannon Miller and Mary Lou Retton for the most decorated American female Olympics gymnasts ever.

Standing atop the medal podium with the women's all-around gold around her neck, Liukin bit her lip to fight back her tears. As the notes of "The Star Spangled Banner" echoed in the National Indoor Stadium, she flashed her trademark smile.

"The gold medal just felt so amazing," Liukin said today.

"I'm still kind of in shock. I've achieved my biggest dreams in my entire life, so to know that it's finally happened is a dream come true."

Teammates

It is a dream that Liukin has shared with her celebrated teammate Shawn Johnson every step of the way. They are roommates at the Olympic Village and have shared the medal podium four times (team, all-around, beam and floor exercise) in Beijing. Together, they have won eight medals for Team USA in gymnastics.

"We are great friends and we get along really well," Liukin said. "You know, out there on the floor we're very serious and we're focused on what we're doing. But if you catch us outside, we'll just be laughing and having a good time and not serious at all. We get along great."

Counting down to the women's all-around, Liukin and Johnson were as close as competitive teammates could be.

"We crossed off each day every night before we got in bed. The day of the all-around, we said, 'Wow, it's finally here,'" Liukin recalled.

"We could not fall asleep that night and we just rolled around trying to get to sleep."

When Liukin and Johnson hit the gym the next morning for the all-around finals, they didn't check their friendship at the door. But the harsh reality of competition remained: they knew only one could walk away with the gold.

"We were both supporting each other 100 percent&[but] at the end of the day there can only be one Olympic champion. We were hoping&we would go one-two in the all-around and that's exactly what we did," Liukin said. "We were hoping we made our country proud."

When "The Star Spangled Banner" played for Liukin that day, Johnson hugged and congratulated her teammate and roommate.

"[Shawn] just told me congratulations. I know she wanted it bad too and I can only imagine being so close to it," Liukin told ABC News.

Liukin was fully aware of what Johnson might be experiencing on the second step of the medal stand.

"I kind of experienced the same thing in 2005 at the world championships," Liukin said, referring to her second place finish to American Chellsie Memmel. "I was [one one-thousandth] from winning the world championships in the all-around and I think throughout these years it's made me stronger and just made me want to work harder."

Going Home

Liukin is headed home to the United States tomorrow. Although she's not sure what the future will hold, gymnastics is still in the picture.

"I really hope my gymnastics career doesn't stop from here. I'd love to continue gymnastics for as long as I can," Liukin said. She plans to compete in next year's world championships.

Liuking has won nine world medals, tying Miller for the most by an American gymnast. If she wins medals in next year's world championships, which she indicated she plans to attend, she would break Miller's record with 10.

A glamorous, high-powered career beyond gymnastics might also be in the cards for Liukin. A big fan of the television hit Gossip Girls, Liukin loves fashion and is entertaining the idea of an acting career.

Liukin told ABC News, "I would love to get involved in some acting, modeling or fashion."

A leap from the balance beam to the catwalk is certainly within the realm of possibility. Liukin's elegant, ballerina-like image already adorns the sides of ATMs on the Olympic Green, accompanied by the word "destiny" in Chinese. Liukin can also be found leaping across an Olympic-edition Visa card.

"It's definitely been the time of my life so far and I can only imagine what's coming up."

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Liu Xiang Apologizes in CCTV Interview - Chinese start to forgive

2008-08-21T10:26:00.005+08:00

China Hails Its Fallen Hero

Bloggers, Editors and Advertisers Express Wish to See Liu Xiang 'Fly Again'

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug. 19, 2008 —

Liu Xiang's truncated hurdles race Monday shattered a billion dreams and stunned 91,000 pairs of eyes in the Bird's Nest. Twenty-four hours later, however, China is already moving on.

Many of Liu's Chinese fans today united in support of a fallen hero, a stark contrast to Monday's refrain of "regret" and tears for Liu's failed gold medal attempt.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping set the tone by sending a message to the General Administration of Sport, stating, "People will understand that Liu quit because of injury."

Xi hoped that Liu would "put things behind him."

Bloggers and bulletin board users offered a ceaseless stream of consoling messages for Liu.

"I hope Liu Xiang can come back quickly," one post read. "I will still be his fan."

"Bless Liu! He is still the hero of our nation!" declared another.

In an online poll by the China Daily, fans were asked, "How do you feel about Liu Xiang's abrupt withdrawal from the 110-meter hurdles with an injury?"

A) Gutted

B) Proud of his attempt

C) Disappointed

D) Angry

The results were surprisingly widespread: 31 percent of respondents were proud of Liu's attempt while 27 percent were disappointed and another 27 percent just plain angry.

Nike, one of Liu's sponsors, tapped into the mood by running a full-page advertisement on the back of the front sections of several newspapers in Beijing this morning.

The ad featured a larger-than-life, close-up shot of Liu Xiang's expressionless -- perhaps somber -- face. The words, which tapped into the emotion and drama, were also clearly intended for Liu's distraught fans.

In bold red capital letters, it read:

Love competition

Love risking your pride

Love winning it back

Love giving it everything you've got

Love the glory

Love the pain

Love sport even when it breaks your heart

Just do it.

As Nike tried to support Liu (and milk his contract) through advertisements, his sponsors also left messages for Liu on the finance page of Sina.com, the popular Web portal.

Shanghai Automobile and Cadillac wrote, "We will continue to stand behind Liu Xiang and the Chinese athletics team, to cheer for Liu Xiang, and we will support him in getting through all these difficulties and in every step of his recovery."

Ping An Insurance, which reportedly gave Liu a $14 million insurance policy for free, offered a message that addressed many of his fans' worries.

"Liu Xiang, forever the 'flying man' in our hearts, your withdrawal today makes us all sad, but in the face of the huge expectations ... the act of withdrawal itself required courage ...," the statement read. "We wish Liu Xiang a speedy, early recovery, and we expect the 'flying man' to fly again."

The major dairy corporation Yili tried to pull the focus away from what many consider Liu's lost gold medal to assure fans that the hurdler's celebrity status is here to stay.

"Bless Liu Xiang. ... We did not choose Liu Xiang to sign an endorsement with us because he can win gold medals, so Yili will continue to support Liu Xiang and Chinese sport just as we have before."

A couple of gold medals this afternoon boosted China's gold medal count to 40 and helped console Liu's grieving fans. The China Daily predicted that Team China would most likely walk away with the most gold medals for the first time in history, declaring that China "looks unassailable in the gold tally."

If so, it will likely help Liu to fade away quietly from the forefront of these eventful Olympics and begin preparing gingerly for the 2012 London Games.

Goodbye Liu Xiang, for now..

2008-08-19T10:10:00.000+08:00

Dashing Dreams: China's Olympic Track Star Liu Xiang Disappoints

The World Record-Breaking Athlete Is Plagued by Injury

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug. 18, 2008

When defending Olympic hurdles champion and Chinese national hero Liu Xiang stepped onto the track at the Beijing National Stadium this morning, he was greeted by a deafening roar for what Chinese have called the "biggest competition of the year." Within seconds, however, his dream -- and that of his country -- was dashed.

The celebrity track star, 25, finished a pain-ridden warmup this morning before settling into the starting blocks for the opening qualifying heat of the men's 110-meter hurdles event. But after a few painful opening steps, Liu was finished. He hobbled along, wincing after a false start by another racer. As the other hurdlers walked back to the starting line for the restart, Liu tore off his racing number and limped off the track.

"Today's result is not perfect for all of us, especially for Liu Xiang," said Feng Shuyong, head coach of the Chinese athletics team.

"Liu was very, very upset about the withdrawal," Feng said. And it seemed as is his Chinese fans felt exactly the same.

Tough Season

Liu's appearance today -- and presumably Thursday's finals -- was one of the most anticipated events of these Olympics for the Chinese.

"Liu Xiang is the person who inspired the entire nation about something they never dreamed of," said Dong Jun, former long-time sports commentator for Chinese Central Television CCTV.

"Of course, this should be the most important, the heaviest medal of all. ... It is a big blow for China," Dong told ABC News.

In 2004, Liu crossed the finish line first in Athens, becoming the first Chinese man to win an Olympic gold in track and field. He followed his historic Olympic victory by breaking the world record for the first time and adding a world championship to his name.

But this season has been a tough one for Liu and the Chinese. His world record was broken by Cuban Dayron Robles, and a nagging hamstring injury kept him out of most of this year's international circuit, including two races earlier this summer. Since May 23, Liu has kept himself almost entirely out of public view.

So when Liu stepped into lane 2 this morning, his fans were well aware of the challenges he would have to overcome to win his second Olympic gold. But they were also thrilled to finally see their track star back in the starting blocks.

Fans React

At the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, fans were shocked and visibly upset. Yang Quanjun shook his head and told ABC News, "I feel regretful. Very regretful. We came here for him."

"When I saw him walking away, I feel so sad," fan Wei Haibin said. "He is our idol. He is the best in China's track and field."

Chen Derong, an elementary school student who watched Liu attempt his heat, had come to the Bird's Nest specifically to see his hero race his way to another Olympic gold medal.

"I saw him falling down. I thought it's just a small problem with his leg," Chen said. "He can still compete. But he still quit in the end."

The disappointment also seeped out of the stadium and into the surrounding streets and restaurants. At a popular 24-hour restaurant near the Lama Temple, servers stopped taking orders and stared at the television in utter disbelief as Liu's face creased with pain. Customers froze with chopsticks halfway to their mouths as they watched him limp off the track.

Wrapped in a bright red Chinese flag outside the Bird's Nest, another fan's anger eclipsed his disappointment.

"[Liu] made fun of us. He played a joke on the whole country. I will not care for him anymore. I am not in a mood to talk about it," the fan said as he walked away in a cloud of frustration.

Is Liu Human?

Dong, the CCTV sports commentator, believes that while disappointing, Liu's withdrawal was necessary and justified.

"It was the right decision for an athlete when he or she isn't fit for a race, especially an Olympic race," Dong said. "I believe most of the fans, while feeling very disappointed, they should understand, they should forgive him for his decision in pulling out of the Olympics."

Despite the disappointment, Dong said Chinese fans harbor a different mentality from their Western counterparts, one that stems from recent cultural and economic developments.

"When I was [a] very young fanatic about sports, I think it would mean for us to live or die. But now & young people are taking it more lightly, although still more seriously than maybe some Western viewers," Dong said.

China's Olympic Track and Field Star

Nearly 25 years ago, Chinese track and field athlete Zhu Jianhua broke the world high-jump record on three occasions. With his success came fame and the weight of a country's expectations. Fans at home fully expected Zhu to win gold at the 1984 Los Angeles games.

When Zhu won the bronze, his Chinese fans responded aggressively.

"He even got some letters threatening his life right after he failed to win the gold," Dong said. "Back then, it was the first time China competed in the Olympic games, and Chinese people didn't learn how to forgive athletes that they hoped to win the gold."

But like its economy and culture, China has come a long way since 1984, Dong said.

"They are getting prepared for such a setback, especially when the China delegation has already won 35 other gold medals," Dong told ABC News today.

Amid the somber mood at the Bird's Nest today, fans were indeed trying to understand Liu's early exit from the Games.

"Liu Xiang is like a God in Chinese people's heart," said fan Qiao Meng. "But this accident makes us realize that Liu Xiang is a human."

Qiao paused for a moment and then added, "A gold medalist is just an ordinary person. We should treat them as humans, not gods."

Stephanie Sy and Fangda Wan contributed to this story.

Dara Torres - Swimming Mom Extraordinaire

2008-08-19T10:05:00.000+08:00

Another U.S. Swimmer Makes Olympic History

Meet the 41-year-old American Swimmer, Whom Michael Phelps Calls Mom

By DAVID MUIR and JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug. 18, 2008 —

Dara Torres, who at 41 is the oldest American swimmer to ever compete in the Olympics, snagged three silver medals in Beijing.

But Torres, who began swimming when she was 7 years old, admits it was tough missing out on getting her first individual gold medal. In one race, the 50 meter freestyle, she came in second by a mere one hundredth of a second.

"I spoke to my coach Michael on the phone, and I said, I don't know I did wrong, why I lost by a hundredth of a second," Torres said in a one-on-one interview with ABC News' David Muir.

"He said, 'Dear, I watched the race over and over again. You made no mistakes. & There's nothing you could have done to change what you did. You swam your best time."

Her best time won her more than a silver medal; it also set an American record.

A 'Mom' to Michael Phelps

Although she wished for a gold medal, Torres is proud of her accomplishments in Beijing. She is also proud of someone else, another American star who calls her "mom," Michael Phelps.

"He just did an amazing job," Torres said with pride, referring to Phelps' eight gold medals and seven world records in Beijing.

"I can't even imagine anyone doing that again. I think he's definitely made history. It's going to be very tough for someone to repeat what he has done."

Making Her Own History

It will also be tough for anyone to repeat what Torres has accomplished. She is the only American swimmer to have competed in five Olympics (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000 and 2008). When she competed in her first Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984, the thought of swimming in an Olympics 24 years later was beyond her imagination.

"I didn't even think I'd be in the next Olympics ... in 1988," Torres told ABC News.

Twelve Olympic medals later at the age of 41, Torres returned to the pool to win a spot in her fifth Olympic Games, unprecedented for an American female swimmer, especially since she did not compete in the 1996 and 2004 Olympic Games.

Dara Torres: Olympic Success and Mother

In Beijing, Torres has defied expectations with her success. But for Torres, her record-breaking combination of age and athleticism is nothing new. The Beijing Olympic Games are not the first time she has been the oldest American swimmer. In the 2000 Sydney Games, Torres was the oldest member of the U.S. swim team at 33. But that didn't stop her from bringing home five medals, including two golds.

Even members of her own family are surprised by her long-lasting athletic prowess. When Torres first began making her comeback, her mother couldn't believe she was back in the pool.

"I am sure she can't believe she had another Olympic Games again," Torres said. But it was her mother, after all, who brought her to the pool at age 7 to learn how to swim.

Like Mother, Like Daughter?

When Torres returns home to California, she'll resume the same role her mother played more than three decades ago. Torres is taking her daughter to school -- and to the pool.

Dara hopes one day her Olympic experience -- and her passion for the pool -- will make her daughter proud. "You don't put an age on the dreams. Just follow your heart."

Vacation time for Phelps but don't worry, it won't last forever

2008-08-18T20:25:00.002+08:00

Ready for vacation but Phelps has no plans to retire

August 18, 2008 5:00 AM
By Jo Ling Kent, ABC News Beijing

The number 8 is a lucky number here in China. Sunday, with eight gold medals in hand, Michael Phelps agreed.

"I guess it's a lucky number for me now too," Phelps said at a news conference this afternoon. "Seeing 8/8/08 and the opening ceremonies starting at 8:08, I guess it was meant to be."

Over the past 9 days, Phelps has also set seven world records and an Olympic record.

Chinese fans are calling him the "Forrest Gump of the swimming pool" and an "alien from the same speed-breeding planet as 100-meter track gold medalist Jamaican Usain Bolt."

Phelps chalked up his success to luck and a great deal of preparation. "For this to happen, everything had to fall into perfect place," he said.

Phelps and his coach Bob Bowman called Phelps's rigorous training program for the Beijing Olympics "putting money in the bank."

"I guess I put a lot of money in the bank over the last four years and we withdrew pretty much every penny in the bank," he said.

Phelps's recovery routine between races was also integral to his week-long success.

After the 200-meter individual medley, Phelps recalled being exhausted to the core. To recharge, Phelps said he did nothing but focus on bouncing back with sleep, movie-watching, ice baths, massages, and "eating right." The downtime allowed him to bounce back in time for his 100-meter fly semi-final race.

"The only thing that I would have wanted to change was the 200 fly. I think I could have gone faster in that event. It was a wardrobe malfunction," Phelps said, referring to his cracked goggles that blocked his vision. Despite the physical obstacle, Phelps won a gold medal.

Next Stop: Rome

What will Phelps do with all his gold medals? He isn't going to Disneyland but he's eagerly anticipating time with his mother and sisters and heading home for a much-needed vacation. Phelps will remain in Beijing until August 21 at which point he will return home to his hometown of Baltimore.

"I can't wait to get back home...I want to lay in my own bed for five minutes, at least," Phelps said. "I'm going to take a vacation where I won't do anything and I'll sit around...be on my clock and be able to have some fun and hang out with my friends."

As for his illustrious swimming career, Phelps is not retiring anytime soon. "There are still some things I want to do. I want to raise the bar of swimming more," he said Sunday after picking up his eighth gold medal in Beijing.

"After [coach] Bob and I both have a little break, it'll be time to start re-depositing," Phelps said, invoking his banking metaphor for training.

Fans can expect to see Phelps in next year's U.S. national championships in Indianapolis and world championships in Rome. "My mom just told me I better make the team because she wants to go to Rome."

ABC News' Alex Stone contributed reporting to this story.

Hey Dopey, Don't Dope!

2008-08-18T20:22:00.001+08:00

China Gets Tough On Olympic Cheats

August 15, 2008 10:58 AM
By Jo Ling Kent, ABC News Beijing

As the Chinese love to say (and sing) about their Olympics: they are ready. Ready for competitions, ready for tourists and – yes – even ready for doping athletes.

The China Anti-Doping Agency, the largest center of its kind in the world, was established in Beijing in 2007 to enforce what International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge said would be a "zero-tolerance" policy on doping. And this week, the agency is officially open for business.

Today in Beijing, two athletes -- a North Korean shooter and a Vietnamese gymnast -- were disqualified from the Games for failing doping tests administered as part of what organizers claim will be the most comprehensively monitored Games ever.

This morning, the IOC announced that North Korean shooter Kim Jong Su was stripped of his silver medal in the 50-meter pistol and bronze in the 10-meter air pistol after testing positive for propranolol.

Vietnamese gymnast Thi Ngan Thuong Do, who finished last in the women's gymnastics floor exercise, was also disqualified after testing positive for the diuretic furosemide. Both of the athletes were disqualified and banned from the Beijing Games, effective immediately.

This brings the total number of athletes disqualified thus far from these Games to three. On Monday, Spanish cyclist Maria Isabel Moreno, 27, was Beijing's first competitor to fail a drug test, just hours after her arrival. She was immediately sent back to Spain. Experts and test administrators at the anti-doping agency expect to conduct approximately 4,500 tests in Beijing, inside and outside of competition.

The testing comes as no surprise. IOC president Jacques Rogge signaled early on that the doping would be aggressively investigated in Beijing. At the opening ceremonies, he not-so-subtly reminded athletes that doping of any kind was unacceptable. He said, "Remember that you are role models for the youth of the world. Reject doping and cheating. Make us proud of your achievements and your conduct."

In the Chinese blogosphere, there's been almost no buzz about the anti-doping incidents that unfolded today. Newspapers and magazines have yet to cover it. In general, fans seem to be fixated with Michael Phelps's sixth gold medal today and the American women's gymnastics domination of the medals podium. Today was an uncharacteristically slow day for Chinese gold medals. So far, they've picked up only two -- one in judo and another in women's weightlifting.

Where are they now? Sichuan's Pandas Three Months After the Quake

2008-08-18T20:20:00.001+08:00

A Rare Glimpse of Quake-Hit Pandas

Shaken by the Quake, Wolong's Pandas Are Now on the Road to Recovery

By DAVID MUIR and JO LING KENT

WOLONG and BEIJING, China, Aug 15, 2008 —

When the ground shook and the mountainside gave way last May in China's southwestern Sichuan Province, China's national treasure and Olympic mascot -- the giant panda -- was put in grave danger.

Dozens of pandas at the Wolong Panda Reserve in Wenchuan County, the epicenter of the May 12 earthquake that killed nearly 70,000 people and left 18,000 missing, clutched each other during the quake while others grasped for trees in their immediate vicinity.

When the earth stabilized, government officials were unable to reach the reserve staff.

"The small pandas, those less than 1 year old, huddled together at the top of the trees," said Professor Huang Yan, Deputy Chief Engineer of Wolong Panda Reserve and earthquake eye-witness.

"After the earthquake, six pandas ran away. Their [habitat] walls had collapsed and some of them did not return."

Today, the pandas at Wolong Panda Reserve are attempting to recover, and they seem to be thriving. There are approximately 1,600 pandas left in the world and they are found only in China's Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi Provinces. About 1,400 live in the area affected by the Sichuan earthquake.

Three months after the quake, in a "Good Morning America" exclusive, ABC News gained very rare access to these pandas. We traveled to the panda reserve center in Ya'an, outside of Chengdu, to check on their recovery.

Pandas Spooked, Shaken by Quake

When the earthquake struck on May 12, the pandas at the Wolong Panda Reserve were immediately spooked. The quake, which registered a magnitude of 7.9 and killed five security guards at the reserve, rocked the walls of the pandas' quarters, leaving the surviving pandas visibly shaken.

"Many of cubs clutched onto one another instead of answering their caretakers' calls, which is very unlike them," Huang explained to ABC News. "The caretakers actually had to go up to them and coax them out of the trees."

"For days afterwards, they were very nervous. They would not eat and even the slightest amount of noise caused them to scurry around and run away," Huang recalled.

While most of the pandas recovered, not all survived the quake.

Mao Mao, a nine-year-old mother of five cubs at the reserve, was found dead on the Monday after the quake.

"Her body [was] crushed by a wall in her enclosure," Huang told ABC News. "Another one disappeared and is still missing.

Slow Road to Recovery

As Wolong rebuilds alongside the people of Wenchuan County, the recent arrival of new panda cubs has brought a sense of life and renewal to a province whose reconstruction is likely to cost a staggering $147 billion, according to a report in China Daily, a state-run English-language newspaper.

Inside the reserve, the panda cubs are kept in a separate building from their older counterparts. Few people are allowed to visit them at such a young age to prevent them from inadvertently contracting diseases. To access the cubs, ABC News was instructed to put on sterile gloves and booties to keep the outside dirt at bay.

In the cubs' habitat, half a dozen baby pandas peer out playfully, projecting a wildly different picture from the devastated quake scene, three months ago.

Currently, there are five litters of cubs and nine new baby pandas. Four of the litters were twins.

"These [adult] pandas were all specially selected to breed and underwent artificial [in] vitro fertilization," Huang told ABC News.

Mothers are typically 100 kg when they give birth -- dramatically larger than their cubs, which weigh in at approximately 100 grams at birth and fit easily into the palms of the caretakers hands.

"They lasted through the earthquake and now have given birth," Huang explained with a tinge of both happiness and relief. Panda caregivers feared that the cubs, the most fragile members of the Wolong panda family, would be lost in the earthquake.

According to Huang, four baby pandas have been born since the Sichuan earthquake. Two have been born since the Olympics began. "One is just 5 days old," Huang told ABC News.

Panda Diplomacy

"In the zoological world, we call them a living fossil," Huang said of the giant panda.

Huang explained that the giant panda is highly valuable in terms of scientific research and observational purposes, not to mention the furry creatures are rather pleasant to look at.

But pandas are also a "living fossil" in international relations.

The role of the panda in the Beijing Olympics is a continuation of an Olympic legacy that has helped shape China's diplomatic relations. The panda has played a symbolic role in breaking down international barriers for the People's Republic.

The first pandas ever sent abroad were sent by China in 1984 to Los Angeles in celebration of the Summer Olympics there. Two more were flown to Winter Games in Calgary where a record 1.35 million people visited them at the Canadian zoo.

China's pandas have also played a role in building friendships and bilateral diplomatic relations.

But China's pandas, will no longer leave home for good.

In September 2007, China has halted its long-time goodwill program of giving its endangered pandas to foreign countries. China now only lends pandas for the purposes of breeding and biological research.

After all, Huang said, "Pandas are China's national treasure."

MMM FOOD

2008-08-18T20:15:00.002+08:00

Gorge or Diet: What Olympians Really Eat to Compete

Some of the World's Most Well-Planned Meals Are Served at the Beijing Olympics.

By LAUREN COX and JO LING KENT

Aug. 14, 2008—

Standing tall on the podium -- lean, toned and bulging with pride -- Olympic medalists look like the pinnacle of self-discipline.

But Michael Phelps' recent tabulation of his daily meals conjured up an image of reckless abandon: 2 pounds of pasta, an entire pizza, energy drinks, two cups of coffee, a five-egg omelet, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast with powdered sugar, three fried-egg sandwiches with cheese and chocolate chip pancakes. The account left many asking, what do Olympians really eat?

If you're on the Chinese rowing team, you might be eating bull penis soup for breakfast, as a London Time's reporter described in February.

Elizabeth Applegate, Olympian nutrition consultant and director of sports nutrition at the University of California at Davis, said Phelps' diet is far from thoughtless gorging. Athletes in Beijing are eating some of the most artfully orchestrated meals in the world -- designed for their bodies, their sport and their cultural cuisine preferences.

Strategic Chocolate Chip Pancakes

American diver Chris Colwill, who placed fourth with his teammate Jevon Tarantino in the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard Wednesday, is a big fan of Chinese food.

"Lately, I've been really into dim sum," he told ABCNews.com, referring to the southern Chinese food.

Colwill is competing for the third time in Beijing in his first Olympics. He consumes at least 3,000 calories a day and works with a nutritionist at his home training center at the University of Georgia.

The average person should consume an average of 2,000 calories a day, or fewer, most nutritionists say. An average Olympian consumes two to three times more than that amount per day.

On an intense training day, Phelps takes in 12,000 calories. When Colwill heard the number, he was shocked. "I can't image what 12,000 calories [looks like]. That's about eight meals a day. Big meals."

Applegate, who has consulted with Olympic athletes and their trainers for more than 20 years, said that somewhere within that smorgasbord of food that Phelps consumes, there's enough protein, vitamins and nutrients to sustain him. Beyond that, Phelps is just searching for pure calories, she said.

"He needs to eat calorie-rich food, and that's what chocolate chip pancakes are," Applegate said. "I'm not surprised. Athletes eat like that all the time."

Some athletes, that is. Depending on the athletes' size, sport or event, the meal planning can change drastically. Applegate would guess there's an entirely different Olympian dinner at the gymnastic team's table.

"You could move and sit next to one of the gymnasts and see one-third of the calories," she said. While Phelps is a constant swimming machine, other types of athletes, such as divers like Colwill or swim sprinters, work through shorter, concentrated bursts of energy .

"Take a discus thrower: They're big. They still require a lot of calories, but they are only going to take in 3,000 calories," Applegate said.

Gymnasts, who are slender in size and work in similar short bursts of energy, have to pack daily nutritional needs into fewer calories.

"The gymnasts would know exactly what to eat, and be very precise," said Applegate, who adds that female gymnasts would have to be extra strict. In this case sex, not size, matters. Pound for pound, women burn fewer calories then men do, simply by the difference in their bodies.

Applegate said that if a 140-pound female athlete and a 140-pound male athlete ran side by side, in sync, expending the same amount of energy, the female athlete would still burn 8 to 10 percent fewer calories.

"Isn't that a jip?" Applegate said.

Taking into account the differences in sex, size, sport and event, the Olympic Village in Beijing had the task of providing an endless permutation of carefully designed meal options.

6,000 Seats, 6,000 Meals, 6,000 Athletic Machines

"They're not operating in the dark. They know what's going on," Applegate said. The Olympic Village in Beijing put forth a tremendous effort to feed the Olympians -- satellite positioning systems to monitor food delivery to the compounds, bilingual dietitians to confirm that international food requests were followed, a big dining room seating up to 6,000 athletes, and special menus to accommodate cultural cuisine preferences and religious dietary laws.

"They don't just offer chicken tenders and fries," Applegate said.

"Going in, there was a concern, but once you get settled in, you realize it's not so bad. It's good to have the staff and the USOC there for us," Colwill said. "It's nice to have Americanized food every now and then, but the food choices have been great."

Colwill, who sticks to a high-protein diet with plenty of lean chicken, is satisfied with the food at the Olympic Village. "There's a Mediterranean section, international section, Asian section. They've got all kinds of variety. You could wind up eating everything. That could be a problem, but I try my best not to put so much on my plate," Colwill said.

Recovery Meals Just as Important As Pre-Game Calories

Yet many of the athletes don't exactly line up high-school-cafeteria style and grab what they want. On the contrary, some Olympic teams plan their meals as part of an elaborate performance agenda.

"Meals are typically pretty specific. They sort of go through an approval process by the staff ... but not like everybody has two green beans and an exact portion of steak," said Dr. Michael Terry, one of several team doctors for the U.S. men's volleyball team and the men's ski team. He is a professor of surgery at the University of Chicago but acts as a general physician for the teams he follows.

Instead, the three square meals and snacks fed to the volleyball team focus on a strategic preparation: high-energy carbs through pasta or vegetables before a game, and high-protein meals with selections such as steak, other red meat or chicken.

"They need to be constantly looking forward to the next match," Terry said. "The recovery meals and the recovery drinks are just as important as their pregame meals."

Even sleep becomes strategic. "We will issue the guys different sleep regulations and schedules -- when they should see the sun and when they shouldn't so they can get acclimated," Terry said.

Yet Terry said helpful planning doesn't mean the physicians and trainers become babysitters.

"The guys are professionals, so they know what the deal is," he said. "Nobody's twisting their arm at the dinner table."

ABC News' Lauren Cox reported from New York, and Jo Ling Kent from Beijing.

Phelps is the merman legend of the whole word

2008-08-18T20:15:00.001+08:00

Chinese in Awe of American Swimmer Michael Phelps

Five Days Into the Games, and Phelps Has Five Golds

by JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug 13, 2008—

At the age of 23, it took Michael Phelps just five days in Beijing to surpass American track star Carl Lewis, American swimmer Mark Spitz, Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina and Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi to become the winningest Olympian in history.

"I'm almost at a loss for words," Phelps told The Associated Press.

Today at the Water Cube, Phelps picked up two more gold medals, making it five straight golds -- and each win set a new world record. Phelps won in the 200-meter butterfly, swimming blind after his goggles filled with water. And Phelps was part of relay team that later struck gold again, in the 4x200-meter freestyle.

Following his six gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Phelps now sits alone as the only athlete to win 11 gold medals.

"Growing up I always wanted to be an Olympian. Now to be the most decorated Olympian of all time, it just sounds weird saying," Phelps told the AP.

Phelps admitted capturing the medals record was a distraction. "I was just trying to focus on my next race, but I just kept thinking, 'Wow, greatest Olympian of all time.' It's a pretty cool title."

His competitors, left in his wake, are in awe. "He is just a normal person, but maybe from a different planet," said Russia's Alexander Sukhorukov, who managed to win a silver against the Phelps-led American juggernaut.

And the Chinese are also duly impressed.

Although he's not contributing to China's closely watched medal count, Phelps has accumulated millions of Chinese fans as he collects gold medals in a country whose utmost priority is bringing home as much gold as humanly possible. Phelps swims like a fish, some Chinese fans say with admiration.

"Phelps is the merman legend of the whole world," a blogger wrote, referring to the male version of the mythical mermaid.

"World records tremble when they see Phelps," a Sina.com blogger declared this morning.

"It is a tragedy to be born in the same time with a sport genius, how many superstars have been eclipsed by the Phelps' legend?" lamented another impressed Sina.com blogger.

Riding a wave of economic development and scientific advances, the Chinese are asking openly if they, too, could produce a Phelps. Readers of the People's Daily, China's most widely circulated state newspaper, wondered if Phelps could have succeeded as a Chinese athlete.

"If Phelps was born in China, he might not be as successful as he is now," a reader wrote in response to the news that Phelps picked up two more gold medals. Journalists and readers asked how much of his dominance Phelps owes to the American system of training, dramatically different from China's, which is modeled on the old Soviet system.

Readers who posted comments wondered how much state-of-the-art American facilities and the family-oriented, friendly training environment at home mattered in his success.

Others are analyzing Phelps's physical prowess.

"Judging from his body type, he is almost a perfect swimmer," said Shanghai Sports Science Research Center research Principal Li Zhijun. Li cited Phelps's armspan, which exceeds his height.

Whatever Phelps is, he is a champion of epic proportions. Now that he is the winningest Olympian ever, two questions remain: how far he will he extend his gold-medal lead, and will he beat the record of seven for the most gold medals in a single Olympic Games -- set by Mark Spitz at the 1972 Munich games. Spitz also set a world record in each of his gold medal races. Phelps has thus far done the same, going five for five in Beijing.

Whether Phelps tops Spitz, the confident consensus is that he's not through yet: with three more races to go in Beijing, his 11 career gold medals probably won't stand for long.

"There is still something left in the tank," Phelps told AP. "I've got three races left, so there had better be something left in the tank."

Chinese Women Gymnasts Win, but Are They Legal?

As Michael Phelps swam towards more gold, the Chinese women's gymnastics team avoided major mistakes to claim a gold medal for China in the team finals, just as the Chinese men did. The United States and Romanian women took silver and bronze respectively.

Inside the National Indoor Stadium this morning, the pressure on the Chinese team was palpable. When star Cheng Fei fell off the balance beam, she rushed off the platform, devastated. Every person inside the sold-out venue seemed to gasp in disbelief.

But the Chinese team rallied to win the gold, out-flipping and out-balancing the United States team by merely one point.

Five-time Olympic champion gymnast Nadia Comaneci told ABC News that the pressure on the Chinese team this Olympic season has been enormous.

"They carried the entire wall of China on their back because they feel so much that they had to deliver," she said. And deliver they did.

The Chinese team finals ended with convincing results, but many remain unconvinced that the Chinese athletes are yet 16, the cut-off age for competing in the Games.

In July, sports registration lists on Chinese gymnastic Web sites obtained by ABC News suggested that half the stars of the Chinese women's team Yang Yilin, Jiang Yuyuan, and He Kexin did not meet the minimum age requirement of turning at least 16 in 2008.

When concerns and questions were raised, Chinese team officials provided copies of their passports and national identification cards to the international gymnastic federation (FIG) and ABC News. The documents indicated they were eligible for competition. But many have questioned whether the documents were created for the sake of Olympic gold.

Comaneci, who has been closely following the women's gymnastics competition in Beijing, told ABC News, "It's always been controversial about He [Kexin]'s age. But their passport says one thing so there's nothing anybody can say about it," she shrugged.

Like Comaneci, gymnastics fans and Chinese news media have shrugged off the age controversy. Unlike the pairs figure-skating judging scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake City winter games, the gymnasts' questionable ages haven't attracted much attention.

It's tough to tell the ages of gymnasts in general, since they are typically more compact athletes. Some Chinese might look younger and smaller than Westerners of the same age. There is no medical way of measuring exact age.

But there are some startling physical differences. On the medal podium, the Chinese team was dwarfed by the Americans and Romanians, who were strikingly taller and more muscular than the gold medalists. On average, the Chinese gymnasts are 3 and a half inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter than their American counterparts. The smallest American is the 16-year-old Shawn Johnson, who is listed at 4' 9", 90 pounds. She is the only American team member under 5 feet.

At the age of 14 and a half, Comaneci was a kid herself when she won gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, scoring the first-ever perfect 10.0 score in Olympic history. At that time, gymnasts were required to turn fifteen during the calendar year of the Games.

Comaneci disagrees with the new age requirement, set by the FIG. "I don't think that helps. Because if the kid is great at fourteen, she should compete at fourteen," she told ABC News.

Speaking from experience, Comaneci says, "It's a lot of work to be able to be so good at such a young age."

Fangda Wan contributed research to this story.

Clumsy Fuwa

2008-08-15T16:07:00.002+08:00

One of the most entertaining parts of going to Olympic events this week has been the large, chubby Fuwa mascots bouncing around and falling over each other. Today at beach volleyball (not pictured), several large inflated Fuwas with people inside were crashing into the side walls and running into the cheerleaders, making me laugh so hard. I love the Olympics.

You are what you eat

2008-08-15T02:25:00.000+08:00

Gorge or Diet: What Olympians Really Eat to Compete

Some of the World's Most Well-Planned Meals Are Served at the Beijing Olympics.

By LAUREN COX and JO LING KENT

Aug. 14, 2008—

Standing tall on the podium -- lean, toned and bulging with pride -- Olympic medalists look like the pinnacle of self-discipline.

If you're on the Chinese rowing team, you might be eating bull penis soup for breakfast, as a London Time's reporter described in February.

Strategic Chocolate Chip Pancakes

American diver Chris Colwill, who placed fourth with his teammate Jevon Tarantino in the men's synchronized 3-meter springboard Wednesday, is a big fan of Chinese food.

"Lately, I've been really into dim sum," he told ABCNews.com, referring to the southern Chinese food.

The average person should consume an average of 2,000 calories a day, or fewer, most nutritionists say. An average Olympian consumes two to three times more than that amount per day.

"He needs to eat calorie-rich food, and that's what chocolate chip pancakes are," Applegate said. "I'm not surprised. Athletes eat like that all the time."

"Take a discus thrower: They're big. They still require a lot of calories, but they are only going to take in 3,000 calories," Applegate said.

Gymnasts, who are slender in size and work in similar short bursts of energy, have to pack daily nutritional needs into fewer calories.

"Isn't that a jip?" Applegate said.

Taking into account the differences in sex, size, sport and event, the Olympic Village in Beijing had the task of providing an endless permutation of carefully designed meal options.

6,000 Seats, 6,000 Meals, 6,000 Athletic Machines

"They don't just offer chicken tenders and fries," Applegate said.

Recovery Meals Just as Important As Pre-Game Calories

Yet many of the athletes don't exactly line up high-school-cafeteria style and grab what they want. On the contrary, some Olympic teams plan their meals as part of an elaborate performance agenda.

"They need to be constantly looking forward to the next match," Terry said. "The recovery meals and the recovery drinks are just as important as their pregame meals."

Even sleep becomes strategic. "We will issue the guys different sleep regulations and schedules -- when they should see the sun and when they shouldn't so they can get acclimated," Terry said.

Yet Terry said helpful planning doesn't mean the physicians and trainers become babysitters.

"The guys are professionals, so they know what the deal is," he said. "Nobody's twisting their arm at the dinner table."

ABC News' Lauren Cox reported from New York, and Jo Ling Kent from Beijing.

Evil Fuwas

2008-08-14T17:14:00.002+08:00

Awesome. Thank you, Shanghaiist.

Rower Misses His Race :(

2008-08-14T01:01:00.001+08:00

Chinese Rower Misses His Olympic Race; Medal Hopes Threatened

Rower Zhang Liang Arrived for the Wrong Heat, Threatening China's Olympic Hopes

By Jo Ling Kent

BEIJING, August 13, 2008

China has pulled out all the stops to win the Olympics gold-medal count, investing in specific events and incubating potential champions in a Soviet-inspired sports system in which child athletes eat, drink and sleep sports from as young as age 6.

So when gold medal hopeful rower Zhang Liang, China's national single sculls champion, didn't show up for his race on Saturday, it was a source of consternation.

Turned Up for the Wrong Heat

Zhang's conspicuous absence cost China two opportunities for gold medals. It is likely to adversely affect his coaches and their jobs -- and tarnish his career for good.

At 6-feet-4-inches tall, Zhang, 22, is a star among approximately 2,000 professional full-time rowers supported by the Chinese government. Zhang has been rowing for six years, training for up to eight hours a day at government-sponsored training facilities.

"He thought he was in the next heat," Wei Di, the director of China's water sports governing body, told Xinhua, China's state-run news agency.

Zhang apparently thought he was in the third heat of the single sculls but was actually entered in the second. And the two heats were 10 minutes apart, so Zhang was not on the water at all.

"This shows we still have some problems in team organization," Wei said.

Because he missed Saturday's heat, Zhang was also disqualified from the men's double sculls event that followed later in the day. Zhang's absence cost his teammate Sui Hui the opportunity to qualify.

Serious Consequences

According to anthropologist Susan Brownell, author of "Beijing's Games: What the Olympics Mean to China," there will likely be serious consequences for Zhang's coaches for missing the race.

"The chain of command should've gotten him to the race on time," Brownell, a former athlete, told ABC News. "It's really not the athlete's responsibility. There is a whole team and I think those are the heads that are going to roll."

So far, the public's reaction to Zhang's absence has been subdued, if not unaware.

"They are going to be, as the Chinese say, 'scolded.' Net-izens are just going to ream on it," Brownell predicted.

As for Zhang himself, the official repercussions of missing his race -- and shots at two Olympic gold medals -- are less severe.

"I think the consequence for him is that he lost the chance to win a medal and the benefits that come with that," Brownell said.

Project 119

In previous Olympics, China has never won a gold medal in rowing. But that doesn't mean the country isn't aggressively pursuing the top of the podium. In fact, rowing is one of Team China's highest priorities.

Rowing is an integral part of Project 119, a strategic initiative to prepare China to win more gold medals. The plan was launched shortly after Beijing won its bid for the 2008 Olympics in 2001.

The "119" refers to the number of gold medals given out at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in sports of track and field, swimming, rowing, sailing, canoeing and kayak. In Sydney, China won one medal in those sports, total. China was second to the United States in the 2004 Athens medal count by only four golds.

China has worked tirelessly to improve its chances in areas where the gold medals are up for grabs. Their work is beginning to pay off. In June, the Chinese took home five of the 14 gold medals in the Lake Rotsee World Cup regatta. Canada and the United States won two golds each.

"In general, the Chinese are coming through where they notoriously used to crack under pressure," Brownell said.

Olympic rowing has 14 medals up for grabs, including Zhang's single and double sculls events.

Not the First Time

This isn't the first time an Olympian has missed a competition. "Historically, this happens and it's easier than you might think," Brownell said.

At the 1972 Munich summer Olympics, American Rey Robinson was favored to win a gold medal in the 100-meter dash. His coach told him his quarterfinal heat was slated for the evening when, according to another schedule, his heat was in the afternoon. Robinson missed the race and was disqualified from the Games.

Other athletes have missed races on purpose out of fear that they will test positive for doping. Brownell, a longtime sports expert, listed myriad of possibilities.

"They want to avoid starting because they know they're going to get tested," she said. "Normally, [worried athletes] claim they're injured or false start or have food poisoning."

Does the Race Go On?

China's national team has not commented on the rowing absence, continuing to accumulate gold medals in other events including women's team gymnastics and diving today.

But what if winning the gold medal count for China comes down to one gold medal?

Brownell worries for Zhang: "The man would be a villain the rest of his life."

Zhantao Yang contributed research to this story.

Swims Like a Fish, Phelps Wins Again

2008-08-14T00:35:00.001+08:00

Chinese in Awe of American Swimmer Michael Phelps

Five Days Into the Games, and Phelps Has Five Golds

by JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug 13, 2008—

"I'm almost at a loss for words," Phelps told The Associated Press.

Following his six gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Phelps now sits alone as the only athlete to win 11 gold medals.

"Growing up I always wanted to be an Olympian. Now to be the most decorated Olympian of all time, it just sounds weird saying," Phelps told the AP.

Phelps admitted capturing the medals record was a distraction. "I was just trying to focus on my next race, but I just kept thinking, 'Wow, greatest Olympian of all time.' It's a pretty cool title."

And the Chinese are also duly impressed.

"Phelps is the merman legend of the whole world," a blogger wrote, referring to the male version of the mythical mermaid.

"World records tremble when they see Phelps," a Sina.com blogger declared this morning.

"It is a tragedy to be born in the same time with a sport genius, how many superstars have been eclipsed by the Phelps' legend?" lamented another impressed Sina.com blogger.

Readers who posted comments wondered how much state-of-the-art American facilities and the family-oriented, friendly training environment at home mattered in his success.

Others are analyzing Phelps's physical prowess.

"Judging from his body type, he is almost a perfect swimmer," said Shanghai Sports Science Research Center research Principal Li Zhijun. Li cited Phelps's armspan, which exceeds his height.

Whether Phelps tops Spitz, the confident consensus is that he's not through yet: with three more races to go in Beijing, his 11 career gold medals probably won't stand for long.

"There is still something left in the tank," Phelps told AP. "I've got three races left, so there had better be something left in the tank."

Chinese Women Gymnasts Win, but Are They Legal?

But the Chinese team rallied to win the gold, out-flipping and out-balancing the United States team by merely one point.

Five-time Olympic champion gymnast Nadia Comaneci told ABC News that the pressure on the Chinese team this Olympic season has been enormous.

"They carried the entire wall of China on their back because they feel so much that they had to deliver," she said. And deliver they did.

The Chinese team finals ended with convincing results, but many remain unconvinced that the Chinese athletes are yet 16, the cut-off age for competing in the Games.

In July, sports registration lists on Chinese gymnastic Web sites obtained by ABC News suggested that half the stars of the Chinese women's team Yang Yilin, Jiang Yuyuan, and He Kexin d nt meet the minimum age requirement of turning at least 16 in 2008.

Comaneci disagrees with the new age requirement, set by the FIG. "I don't think that helps. Because if the kid is great at fourteen, she should compete at fourteen," she told ABC News.

Speaking from experience, Comaneci says, "It's a lot of work to be able to be so good at such a young age."

Fangda Wan contributed research to this story.

Little Girl Not Good Looking Enough for Opening Ceremony

2008-08-13T12:00:00.004+08:00

Lin Miaoke (top) and Yang Peiyi (bottom)

Faking Their Way to a Perfect Olympics

Olympics Ceremony Featured Fake Fireworks, Fake Singer, All in the Name of National Interest

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, August 12, 2008 —

Eager to put on a perfect Olympics, Beijing has swept its streets of fake designer handbags, pirated DVDs and phony corporate logos.

That dedication to authenticity apparently does not extend to Olympics ceremonies.

In recent days the Chinese Olympics organizers have admitted to faking the "footprint" fireworks that dazzled television audiences around the world.

And today they conceded that the perfect little girl who stole the show while singing "Ode to the Motherland" wasn't singing at all. She was lip synching for another little girl who was deemed -- for the good of the country -- not cute enough for China's national image.

Fake Fireworks

Part of Friday night's jaw-dropping opening ceremonies revealed sweeping shots of the footprint-shaped fireworks in the skies over Beijing marching from Tiananmen Square north to the Bird's Nest.

Viewers were led to believe they were synchronized fireworks going off across the city.

Days later it was revealed that the images were computer generated and were only seen by those watching television. There were actual fireworks in Beijing but viewers didn't see them. Producers were fearful that they wouldn't be able to properly capture the images live on TV.

At a press conference today, Wang Wei, Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) vice-president and spokesman acknowledged that the fireworks may not have been live.

"On the day of the ceremony there were actual footprint fireworks from the south to the north of the city," Wang said to reporters. "However, because of poor visibility on the night, some previously recorded footage may have been used."

But he did not admit that they were digitally created.

However, the Beijing Times newspaper quoted the head of the ceremony's visual effects team, Gao Xiaolong, saying that a 55-second sequence of steps was digitally recreated because it was impossible to film by helicopter.

Fake Singer Three days after the opening ceremony, the China Daily newspaper headline declared, "Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke becomes instant star with patriotic song."

Her perfect smile and pixie face accompanied by a perfect rendition of "Ode to the Motherland" made her a national sweetheart. Her moment in the spotlight was considered one of the most memorable parts of China's mesmerizing opening.

But a few days later, the musical director of the opening ceremony, Chen Qigang, told Beijing Radio that Lin, who was memorably clad in a red dress and white shoes, did not actually sing "Ode to the Motherland." Lin was lip-synching to another girl's voice.

Chen says that an alternative singer was chosen in a last-minute switch.

In the recordings that happened before the opening ceremonies, Chen said, "Lin Maoke's voice didn't quite meet our standard, the breadth and depth wasn't quite up to our standards. So, at last, we decided from a sound perspective to use Yang Peiyi."

But Chen Qigang also suggested, however, that Yang Peiyi wasn't cute enough.

"The performer was Lin Miaoke, but the sound was Yang Peiyi. The reason...is this: One was for the benefit of the country. The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feelings, and expression, and Lin Miaoke meets our requirements in those aspects."

"However, from a sound perspective, our entire team unanimously agreed that Yang Peiyi fulfilled all of our requirements and more. She is the best."

But if Yang Peiyi was the best, why was she not on camera? A photo of Yang posted Tuesday on popular Web site Sina.com shows a smiling girl with bangs and crooked teeth.

National Interest

In his interview, Chen claimed that the last minute change-up was a "sad decision that we did not want to make."

In fact, the change happened at such a late notice that Chen said, "The voice that Lin Miaoke heard was actually Yang Peiyi's sound, but she herself may not have realized this."

"We've heard Lin Miaoke's recording," Chen said as he shook his head. "It was played live at a rehearsal. There were many different departments, especially leaders from the Politburo [the Central Communist Party leadership] who all gave us their opinions that it must change. So, we had no choice."

Chen believed that replacing Lin's voice with Yang's was fulfilling an obligation to society. "We have a responsibility to face the Chinese audience," Chen said.

"I think all of the listeners and audience should also understand this situation. This is for the benefit of the country, the national culture. This is the face, the image of the national music culture. Especially the entrance of our national flag, this is an extremely important, extremely serious matter."

"I think this situation is fair for Lin Miaoke and Yang Peiyi, it's fair for both of them. This is to say, [we] have the best image, and the best sound and we combined the two.

Blogosphere Reacts

Chinese bloggers generally accepted the lip synching and some even approved of it.

"Why was the original girl not on stage? Because she was having dental work done," justified a blogger on Sina.com.

Another blogger wrote, "Fake singing is not good but for the image and interests of the country, fake singing now and again is acceptable."

"On a sidenote, we should recognize that lip synching is in fact a form of art," the same blogger said sarcastically, in an attempt to provoke others.

Others found nothing wrong with the lip-synching.

"Lip synching has been happening for decades. Putting on the best performance we can is the most important. Plus two girls, not just one, got a chance to be famous. Their futures are very bright."

The Associated Press and ABC News' Cao Jun contributed to this story.

Being Michael Phelps's Mom

2008-08-12T11:05:00.002+08:00

'No Vacation' When You're Michael Phelps's Mom

Debbie Phelps Talks About the Challenges and Joys of Raising a Champion

By DAVID MUIR and JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug 11, 2008 —

It was a nail-biting Olympic moment at the Water Cube today. Fans were on pins and needles as American swimmer Michael Phelps and his teammates trailed the French in the 4 x 100 meter men's relay.

Just when fans thought Phelps's hope for a record-breaking eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics was about to slip away, American teammate Jason Lezak surged forward and hustled alongside his French rival in the final leg of the relay.

Lezak stretched out his arm to out-touch his French counterpart by merely eight hundredths of a second. Phelps's teammate had just helped him secure his second gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, winning a gold for themselves too. Phelps's quest for the magic eight would continue.

In a one-on-one post-race interview with ABC News, Debbie Phelps explained what it was like being the mother and No. 1 fan of Michael Phelps, one of the most celebrated athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics.

Sitting in the stands this morning at the 4 x 100 meter men's relay, Phelps sat in nervous anticipation as she watched her son and his teammates win the gold.

"Watching that relay and oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," Phelps said. "That was nerve-racking."

"My heart's pounding, my stomach is starting to do flip flops, but I'm trying to be very composed on the outside. I hope it comes across that way," laughed Phelps. "It's no vacation for me."

Phelps doesn't think she is any different than other parents of Olympians. "Any parent who says it is easy to watch [their child compete], I would question that. ... We are a nervous wreck."

What did the Olympic champion's mom say to her son after the dramatic win this morning?

"I love him, I'm so proud of you," she said. But usually her greetings aren't delivered over the phone.

"Really, it's texting. He always reaches out to us. Sometimes he calls. ... We're lucky if we get a call."

But today's victory in Beijing was extra special. Debbie Phelps and her daughters were seated close enough to grab some quick hugs and kisses from their Olympic champion. Michael gave his winner's bouquet of flowers to his mom, a woman who has been his champion his entire life.

From String Bean to Ace Swimmer

"He was a very tall glass of water, a string bean," Phelps's mom told ABC News. "He was a very tall kid, and he was very awkward. His ears were a little big. People would tease him, which was very difficult for Michael."

"He wanted to run, but he had trouble running," she said, smiling. "But he has such a charismatic smile and a great personality."

Along with the teasing classmates, teachers told his mother that the young boy wasn't going to make much of himself. "It was very difficult to hear that," Phelps admitted. As a mother, teacher and now administrator, she knew better than to believe Michael's critics.

"Mike was a very energetic little kid who wanted to get answers to questions ... always in motion," she said. It was this ceaseless curiosity and energy would eventually serve as the foundation of his success as an individual and an athlete.

"I just wanted Michael to experience everything he could possibly experience."

Not a Stage Parent

Phelps is not just a proud mom of an Olympic champion but also a highly informed swimming fan. She knows the rules of the pool and the standing American and world records. She analyzes the splits from this morning's 4 x 100 meter relay like a die-hard follower.

However, when it comes to her son's career, Phelps is there for Michael only as a supportive listener, not a coach or decision-maker.

"I've been there not to dictate or guide. I'm there to listen to what he wants to do and try to help him problem solve and make a wise decision," Phelps told ABC News.

"Every time Michael gets on the blocks, he has a goal for himself, and he knows what he wants to do. ... I don't set those goals, and I'm a very strong advocate of [the idea that] I'm the parent not the coach or the agent or whatever there is to be."

"And when we're home, we're home as a family."

When it comes to whether her son will break Mark Spitz's gold medal record at the Beijing Olympics, Debbie Phelps stays far away from the speculation.

"I don't get caught up in the four, six, eight. Whatever the number might be, I just know I'm here to support Michael in every swim he takes."

Meet Zhang Jiazhi

2008-08-12T01:31:00.003+08:00

11-year-old Zhang Jiazhi (center) lost both his arms in the Sichuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. Now, three months later, Jiazhi has been fitted with prosthetic arms
and is making a triumphant recovery.
Clark Bentson/ABC News

Meeting an 11-Year-Old With Rare Courage

Zhang Jiazhi, a Double Amputee After the Sichuan Quake, Now Wants to Become an Artist

By DAVID MUIR and JO LING KENT

LUOCHI and CHONGQING, China, Aug 11, 2008 —

When the worst happened, Zhang Jiazhi exhibited a courage far beyond his 11 years.

On an otherwise typical May afternoon at school this year, the ground violently shook beneath his classroom and the school collapsed, killing hundreds if not a thousand students. The May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, which registered at 7.9 on the Richter scale, ultimately killed over 70,000 people in China.

"The staircase collapsed and buried me & bricks started falling down. I didn't know what was happening," Jiazhi said in May.

Jiazhi's father recalls the buildings shaking and the school collapsing. But his son was one of the few lucky students. He bravely dug and crawled his way out of the school after it collapsed on him. But both of his arms were broken.

When he found his shell-shocked son at the crumbled school, the older Zhang didn't know it was him.

"I couldn't recognize him," Zhang's father told ABC News. "Only when he called my name did I realize he was my son."

His parents, unemployed farmers, kept a vigil next to the hospital bed of their only son, not sure if they were blessed or cursed. The doctors said they had no choice but to amputate both of Jiazhi's arms.

"I told the doctor, please save just one of my arms," Jiazhi said. "But the doctor said it is too late."

Making a Courageous Comeback

Today, exactly three months later, Jiazhi is making a triumphant return to life as a normal 11-year-old. ABC News traveled back to his hospital in Chongqing to visit Jiazhi and his family, over 1,200 miles southwest of Beijing.

In the hospital room was the same young boy with the same trademark bravery. But fear on Jiazhi's handsome face had vanished and the bandages that once covered his arms and head were long gone. The bright, matter-of-fact Jiazhi was back in action.

Jiazhi was eager to show off his newest toy: one of his two prosthetic arms, fitted just three weeks ago.

He explained to ABC News that he was feeling great and had big plans for his new arm. An aspiring artist, Jiazhi will use his prosthetic arm to paint like he did before the earthquake.

"I told my doctors what I want to do in the future," Jiazhi said as he mulled over what life will be like after he leaves the hospital. "I want to paint and become an artist."

"During the day, I usually practice drawing, writing, and eating with my artificial arm," Jiazhi said. "I like the arm, it's easy to use but I still feel like I have my old hands. Sometimes they feel itchy."

In a rare trip out of the hospital, Jiazhi went to the local zoo with his family. Waving his arms about and wiping the summer sweat from his forehead with his right arm, Jiazhi was excited to see China's giant pandas for the first time.

"The pandas aren't as white as I thought they would be," Jia observed frankly as a panda chomped on bamboo.

As Jiazhi watched the pandas, his mother, Lin Yiping, said her son is on his way to a speedy recovering, considering the circumstances.

"Because of the support, there is a hope for his future," Lin said to ABC News. "I just worry about his studies. If he keeps doing well in his studies, he'll be ok. If he has knowledge, he'll be fine."

Jiazhi seems to be moving in a promising direction. He said he doesn't have nightmares or flashbacks to the earthquake.

With his prosthetic arms, he will no longer be able to catch snakes, one of his favorite past times before the earthquake. But that doesn't seem to matter to him too much. Art and school are his top priorities.

"I'm going to be a painter one day," Jiazhi explained. "I've forgotten about [the earthquake]. I think that's my personality."

"His thoughts now are that wherever he goes, he wants to go back to school," his mother said. "He's a kid who loves to study. Since he began going to school, he hasn't been late for class once, not even one minute."

Returning Home

Doctors told ABC News that Jiazhi should be released from the hospital in two weeks, just in time to celebrate his 12th birthday. But the young earthquake survivor doesn't have gifts or birthday cake on his mind.

When asked what he plans to do when he returns home, Jiazhi said, "I want to write a thank-you letter to those who have helped me."

"There have been a lot of people, like the doctors who treated my arms, my aunties and uncles who have helped me find a school to go to when I get out of the hospital."

"Since we've been here in Chongqing, ordinary people and kids have visited us every day and helped him," Jiazhi's mother told ABC News. "We want to write a letter to extend our gratitude."

As Jiazhi recovers in the hospital, his hometown is still attempting to recover as well. Rubble and debris from the earthquake still crowd the roads.

"We're relatively fortunate compared with others. Although he lost his arms, the three of us are all together," his mother said. "I am confident we can now rebuild our home."

Just like the road to Jiazhi's recovery, this too will be a long journey.

Stephanie Sy contributed reporting to this story.

A Trip Back to Sichuan

2008-08-11T11:22:00.000+08:00

The Other China: Beyond the Olympic Spotlight in Earthquake-Stricken Sichuan

As Olympics Begin, Citizens Demand to Know Why Quake Felled So Many Schools

By DAVID MUIR and JO LING KENT

SHIFANG, China, Aug. 10, 2008—

Far from the pageantry and competition of the Beijing Olympics, there remains a dramatically different scene in China: one of loss and recovery in earthquake-stricken Sichuan Province.

President Hu Jintao declared that "hosting a successful Olympics ...[is] now the top priority of the country." As the world focuses on the Olympics, villages around the city of Chengdu are still sifting through the rubble from the magnitude 7.9 earthquake on May 12.

Early last week, the ground shook again in Sichuan, the epicenter of the May earthquake that killed at least 70,000 people. This time, the tremor measured 4.3 on the Richter scale. Three aftershocks followed last week.

Shifang, a small town in Sichuan Province, is a part of China that exists far beyond the Olympic spotlight. On the way from Chengdu to Shifang, the roads were lined with stacks of bricks and wire, precious resources salvaged by townspeople still digging through the rubble three months later.

A tractor sits where houses once stood, ready to pull out what little they can save. A woman carries a basket on her back to collect materials they can use to rebuild.

"Over here," Chen Weijie said, pointing at a high pile of rubble. "That's where my home once was."

As he sifts through the piles, Chen proudly wears a Beijing Olympics t-shirt. For many Chinese, the Olympics symbolize a triumphant effort by the Chinese government to debut China on the world stage. This is the same Chinese government that grief-stricken parents hope to hold responsible for the schools that collapsed, leveling 7,000 classrooms and killing thousands of children.

Anger still festers in Shifang. "How could the schools have so easily crumbled?" one father asked ABC News last week.

Local government leaders have repeatedly promised to get to the bottom of why nearly every school in the earthquake zone collapsed. Parents continue to demand answers from the Chinese government about why the public buildings fell "like tofu."

After the quake, many parents accused local officials of corruption and negligence when the schools were constructed. As the months wear on, there is little evidence that the government will conduct a full investigation on the building construction. Inspection of the rubble thus far has been cursory, families complained. Bulldozers have already cleared away the debris of collapsed schools.

An Olympic Escape

Some have threatened to take their cases to the central government in Beijing, but that doesn't stop them from supporting one of the government's top priorities, the Beijing Olympics.

"I work six days a week, looking for bricks," Chen Banfen told ABC News. After she finishes searching the rubble, she returns home to temporary housing to watch the Olympics. It is her escape.

Survivors gathered in temporary housing provided by the local government and non-governmental organizations to watch the final legs of the Olympic torch relay and qualification competitions.

On Friday, they raised their glasses, and toasted one another as they watched the opening ceremonies. Communities in Sichuan lit candles laid out in the shape of the five Olympic rings, to show their support. This Olympic vigil in Sichuan was a strange role reversal from May, when the rest of the country held candlelit vigils for earthquake victims and survivors.

A Different Kind of Team USA

With the world focused on results of Olympic competitions, over 1,200 miles west of Beijing, there is another American team that is focused on a completely different challenge.

Wisconsin native Dee Galuba, global emergency operations manager of MercyCorps, has set up a makeshift warehouse in Sichuan's capital city, Chengdu, and dispenses hygiene kits for displaced families.

A team of aid workers and volunteers works tirelessly to fill the hygiene kits with supplies, delivering them to temporary schools. Galuba says it is easier to dispense the kits to the children instead of to parents.

"It can be a humiliating thing to sit there and wait in line as a full-grown adult, so [we] give it to the kids," Galuba said.

"You see these happy faces, these kids running out with the kits."

The volunteers have been working for over three months now, hoping to make a difference in a place that will require years of reconstruction. Galuba hopes the world will remember the children and their families of the earthquake in a time when so many lenses are focused elsewhere.

Another Dramatic Day at the Games

2008-08-10T23:13:00.000+08:00

http://blogs.abcnews.com/worldview/2008/08/jo-ling-kent-ab.html

American Killed in China

2008-08-10T14:39:00.001+08:00

http://blogs.abcnews.com/worldview/2008/08/tragedy-strikes.html

Opening Ceremonies Live Up to the Hype

2008-08-09T07:13:00.003+08:00

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/China/story?id=5540740&page=1

Olympics Open With Jaw-Dropping Pyrotechnics

Bush Holds Pep Rally for U.S. Athletes Before Games Begin

By DAVID MUIR and JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug. 8, 2008—

The summer Olympics kicked off today with a spectacular barrage of fireworks that ended with China's Li Ning, a six-time medalist, vaulting through the air on wires to take a victory lap around the rim of the massive stadium.

The lavish pageant -- and a blanket of security -- dwarfed anything previously seen at an Olympic opening ceremony.

The countdown to the Games was marked by 2,008 drummers pounding out the final seconds and, as the rockets were launched skyward, acrobats on wires descended from the rim of Beijng's new National Stadium, whose unique design has made it a star of the Olympic show.

Inside the stadium, dubbed the Bird's Nest, 91,000 people, including heads of state and royalty, were awed by the pyrotechnics overhead. To accommodate the crowds in the sprawling capital, fireworks were launched from 32 sites around the city. A worldwide television audience was expected to be as large as 4 billion.

The ceremony was full of elegant touches carried out by a cast of thousands that thrilled its audience.

When the lights went down in the stadium at 8 p.m., the Bird's Nest looked as if it had been transformed into a grand theater. A giant scroll unrolled as dancers dressed in black glided across the paper, painting Chinese characters with their arms and legs.

At one point over a thousand Chinese dancers wearing boxes over their heads formed the Chinese character for harmony, delighting the 91,000 in the stadium.

The Beijing crowd was boisterous and exuberant. Typical were the thousands of people at Ditan Park in central Beijing watching two large screens.

They cheered wildly and waved flags when the camera panned to Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Vladimir Putin arriving. But when it showed President Bush entering the stadium, they jeered. Bush has criticized Chinese repression over the last two days.

The crowd, as fired up as any in a U.S. ballpark, also happily booed when a glitch cut the video for several moments.

The biggest outburst came when the last of the 204 teams entered the Bird's Nest. That team was Team China, led by Houston Rockets star Yao Ming holding the hand of a second-grade boy who survived the devastating Sichuan earthquake earlier this year. A deafening roar rose up in the city and Hu was seen on TV giving the team a special salute.

The fiery climax of the four hour extravaganza was the lighting of the Olympic torch. A relay by eight top Chinese Olympians brought the torch to four time gold medal gymnast Li Ning who was lifted by a wire into the air, through the roof of the Bird's Nest. After running a lap around the rim of the stadium roof carrying the torch, he finally lit the flame, triggering a barrage of fireworks throughout Beijing.

"I am so moved and proud tonight to see my country put on such an Olympic Games," gushed Wei Yiping, a journalist with the night off watching the beginning of the Games in the park.

Wang Dan, a student at the University of Economics and Foreign Trade, was just as proud. "This is the biggest holiday for Chinese people... This is a chance for the world to meet China," she said.

The extravaganza was billed as the largest-ever opening ceremony for the Olympics and it boasted some truly Olympian numbers:

- 30,000 fireworks

- 14,000 performers

- 80 world leaders

- 100,000 cops

The starting time of 8 p.m., Aug., 8, 2008, was considered so auspicious among the Chinese that 16,400 couples registered to get married today. Many Chinese believe eight to be a lucky number. More than 10,500 athletes -- including such stars as Kobe Bryant and Yao Ming -- have poured into Beijing for the 16 days of competition, and hours before it all began President George W. Bush took a break from diplomacy to rally the American team.

"We want you to win as many golds as you possibly can. Go forth, give it all you got," the pumped-up president told the athletes before having his picture taken with them.

Bush visited them with his wife Laura and his father, former President George H.W. Bush, the U.S. team's honorary captain. "It's got to be really exciting, thinking about marching in that stadium and representing our country, " an enthusiastic Bush told the cheering American contingent gathered in the Olympic fencing center. "We appreciate all the hard work you've put in to get to this spot."

Earlier in the day, Bush gave the Chinese leaders one more poke while dedicating a massive new U.S. Embassy in Beijing. He prodded China to "let people say what they think," a shot at the country's pre-Olympic roundup of dissidents and censoring of the Internet during the games.

"We strongly believe societies which allow the free expression of ideas tend to be the most prosperous and the most peaceful," Bush said.

The Chinese government had pointedly suggested that the American president butt out of its affairs.

The stunning launch of the Olympics capped seven years and billions of dollars spent on planning for the Chinese, as well as months of protests, battles with smog, police crackdowns and threats by terrorists.

The months before today's lavish ceremony has been marked by China's brutal repression of protests by Tibetan monks and ensuing anti-Chinese protests around the world. Even the world tour of the Olympic torch became a tug-of-war, as heavy Chinese security kept crowds away while activists tried to grab the torch or extinguish it.

China was also rattled in the middle of its rush to get ready for the games by a massive earthquake that devastated its Sichuan province.

But it was the issue of security that has dogged the pre-game planning, and it continued through the ceremonies. An Air China jetliner flying from Japan to China turned back early today and the departure of four others was delayed after an anonymous e-mail threatened to bomb the planes.

In China's restive Muslim region of Xinjiang, police shut down the capital's usually busy bazaar today after receiving threats that an Islamic group might target buses, trains and planes during the Olympics.

And a pro-Tibet group says three American activists have been detained after trying to protest near the venue for the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. Students for a Free Tibet executive director Lhadon Tethong says the trio was grabbed by police as they traveled to the Beijing National Stadium, where they had planned to hold Tibetan flags during the opening.

And pro-Tibetan groups held protests outside Chinese embassies in several countries in an effort to steal the limelight from the Olympics' debut. One protester set himself on fire outside the Chinese embassy in Istanbul.

That emphasis on security was evident today in the hours before the first fireworks exploded as the usually teeming Tianamen Square was swept clean of tourists and Chinese, leaving it eerily quiet and empty.

Despite the controversies and the heavy-handed security, Beijing was bursting with pride over its role as host to the world. China declared the day a national holiday. Taken aback by its citizens' enthusiasm, a Thursday night emergency meeting of Beijing district officials decided to decrease the number of outdoor screens showing the anticipated opening ceremonies out of fear that the city couldn't handle the crowds.

But as the world braced for the games, diplomacy asserted itself. On the eve of the ceremony, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Bush and other heads of state sat for a state banquet in the People's Congress. With around 80 heads of state and royal family members in attendance, the Chinese government did its best not to seat any enemies or rivals next to one another.

At the head table, Hu entertained Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, both of whom have been among the most vocal about the government's actions in Tibet and China's human rights record. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also sat with Hu. Seated next to Hu was International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, the guest of honor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

From the Bird's Nest this afternoon

2008-08-09T00:27:00.004+08:00

Sun Dingguo, who has traveled to every province and municipality in a rickshaw in support of the Beijing Olympics, showed off his body art after he performed his impressive Olympic rap for me in an interview. They were real tattoos.

Security was high at the southwest entrance of the Bird's Nest.

Bob and Julie Neville from Hong Kong show offer their opening ceremony tickets as they enter the stadium.

A tourist and a 97-year-old Hunan woman were ticketless but full of Olympic spirit nonetheless.

Fans outside the Bird's Nest

Less than an hour to go!

2008-08-08T19:18:00.002+08:00

http://blogs.abcnews.com/worldview/2008/08/an-hour-and-a-h.html

Tianamen Square was eerily empty on the day of the opening ceremonies as heads of state lunched President Hu Jintao and his wife nearby.

Thanks but No Thanks

2008-08-08T08:21:00.000+08:00

China Tells Bush to Butt Out

Bush Arrives in Beijing for Olympics After Slamming China for Human Rights

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, August 7, 2008 —

China reacted angrily to harsh words on human rights delivered by President Bush today, just hours before Bush arrived in Beijing to attend the Olympics.

In addition to the testy exchange with Bush, the day before the opening ceremony saw more protesters arrested and the smog the Chinese promised to curb before the Games still hanging over the city.

The haze may be a metaphor for the controversy that has dogged China throughout the seven-year, multi-billion-dollar effort to host the Games, which Beijing hopes will mark the country's arrival on the world stage.

Bush, in remarks in Bangkok, Thailand, before his arrival in Beijing, voiced "firm opposition" to China's continued detention of dissidents. "The United States believes the people of China deserve the fundamental liberty that is the natural right of all human beings," Bush said.

The Chinese government issued a response, saying that it "puts people first, and is dedicated to maintaining and promoting its citizens' basic rights and freedom."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China advocates discussions on differing views on human rights and religions on "a basis of mutual respect and equality."

As for Bush's remarks, Qin's statement warned, "We firmly oppose any words or acts that interfere in other countries' internal affairs, using human rights and religion and other issues.

Bush will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday.

Heads of State and Stubborn Haze

Over the past week, over 80 heads of state and government have descended on Beijing, the most to attend any Games ever. Other heads of state attending the games, in addition to Bush, include Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Israeli President Shimon Peres. All plan to attend the opening ceremony Friday.

But one head of state has had to pull out at the last minute. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who is embroiled in an impeachment controversy at home, won't be attending the Games. The Pakistan Foreign Ministry today confirmed that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will attend opening ceremonies instead.

With approximately 24 hours to go before the Opening Ceremony, Beijing is still battling visibly polluted skies and facing a continuous stream of human rights complaints from all directions.

Journalists walking along the south side of Olympic Park this afternoon squinted to view the latticed steel of the Bird's Nest, known as the National Stadium, as it blended in with a thick blanket of gray fog.

Today, the air pollution index, which ranges from zero to 500, hovered at 100. According to Beijing standards, the city is "lightly polluted." By contrast, the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department labels this level of pollution "very high."

As athletes arrive and train in Olympic facilities, the murky air is a constant reminder of one of Beijing's major weaknesses. However, nine-time U.S. Olympic Champion Carl Lewis believes the situation has been blown out of proportion.

"I think it's an issue that's not going to affect the athletes because they're all in the same situation," the retired track and field star told ABC News. "There may be some that are affected more but I don't think so."

"When the athletes get out there," said Lewis. "It could be a torrential rain and they'll be like, 'It's the Olympics, get out of my way.'"

The Hostess With the Mostest, and Blast From the Past

Athletes won't be the only ones hoping to set records in Beijing. The Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG) will set several of its own.

Beijing will host the largest Games in Olympic history, with 205 national teams, 16,000 athletes, and an estimated 30,000 members of the media in attendance. Today, McDonald's opened their biggest freestanding restaurant in the world on the Olympic Green. The location, which is temporary, can seat up to 1,015 customers at a time.

When Team China marches into the opening ceremony tomorrow evening ? the most expensive Olympic debut at $300 million ? they will be led by the tallest Olympic flag bearer, the 7-foot six-inch basketball star Yao Ming. A Sudanese turned American, Lopez Lamong, will carry the flag for the U.S., his adopted country.

One honored guest in town this week is providing a gentle reminder that relations between the United States and China are merely three decades old. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who planned the normalization of relations between the United States and China in the early 1970s, is in Beijing to attend the Olympics with his family.

Kissinger made his first visit to China in July 1971, in a diplomatic trip shrouded in secrecy. "Over 30 years ago, when I first visited China, I would never have imagined that the day would come that the Olympic Games would be held in China," Kissinger said in a speech at Peking University on Tuesday.

Protests in Beijing

The landscapes in Beijing have certainly morphed dramatically since Kissinger's first visit.

Foreign protestors against China's human rights record and lack of religious freedom have made themselves heard again this morning in Tiananmen Square.

Plainclothes security officials removed three Christian activists today after they attempted to demonstrate for religious freedom in Tiananmen Square. The three Americans were taken away shortly after they started a news conference and conducted a brief prayer vigil outside of the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall.

"We have come here today to speak out against the human rights abuses of the Chinese government," Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, told a small group of foreign reporters on the square today.

Yesterday, this group briefly protested against China's population control policies and forced abortions in Tiananmen Square until they were escorted away by police.

Christine Brennan, sports author and Olympics expert, said while "very good things that are being done here in the name of the Olympic games, in terms of organization, facilities," the unrest and controversies are natural elements of the Games.

"The world needs to note that, this is a sporting event, yes, but it's much more than that," Brennan told ABC News.

"The IOC gave China the greatest gift it could possibly give, the Olympic Games, and with that gift, the Chinese have used it to crack down even more on people who are speaking out and as a free society. It's reprehensible."

But on a more positive note for China, the Olympic torch arrived without incident in Beijing, where it will be carried by a host of Chinese celebrities, including NBA basketball star Yao Ming, China's most famous athlete.

As for the polluted air in Beijing, Carl Lewis urged perspective.

"The good thing about [controversy] is?everybody gets a chance to see it. [China has] to deal with the issue, they can't just sweep it under the rug," Lewis said. "The world knows. So how are they gonna deal with it?"

And for fans he said, "Don't stay home for the dance. Go there and be the best dancer. The Olympics is the biggest dance in the world to be the best dancer, because everyone's going to take pictures."

The Associated Press contributed to the reporting of this story.

Banner Unfurled Just South of Bird's Nest

2008-08-07T23:45:00.002+08:00

Incidents Plague China Days Before Olympics

Two Men Supporting a Free Tibet Unfurled Banners Near Beijing's National Stadium

By STEPHANIE SY and JO LING KENT

Aug. 5, 2008 —

Two men scaled 120-foot light posts near the national stadium in Beijing early Wednesday morning and unfurled banners pleading for a free Tibet, the latest in a string of incidents this week in China during the lead-up to the Olympic opening ceremonies Friday.

One banner declared "One World One Dream Free Tibet" and was hung along with the Tibetan flag, and the second read, "Tibet will be free."

The two men, members of the group Students for a Free Tibet, climbed down and identification was checked but no handcuffs were used. Authorities were polite and there was no rough behavior observed by ABC News.

Within 10 minutes of the banners' release, several firetrucks with extended ladders were used to remove them from the light posts.

One climber, who identified himself as Ian from Edinburgh, Scotland, told ABC News via mobile phone while climbing down that he hoped his "skills would be useful to call for a real difference."

He said he entered China with a group from the United Kingdom on a tourist visa.

"I'll probably get detained by the police and then ejected out of the country but I believe it's not anywhere near the risk or the fear that Tibetans are living under the occupation of the Chinese government," he said.

The peaceful banner incident close to the stadium, known as the "Bird's Nest," followed closely on the heels of two violent incidents in China during the last several days.

On Monday, two Japanese journalists were beaten by paramilitary police in Kashgar. The journalists, Masami Kawakita and Shinji Katsuta, were attempting to report on a bombing attack earlier in the week. According to the journalists' organizations and several eyewitnesses, paramilitary police forcibly removed both of them from the street, beat them severely and damaged their equipment.

A bomb blast two days ago killed 16 police officers and injured 16 others in an incident reportedly carried out by two young men from the western Chinese region's Muslim Uighur community. Chinese police arrested the two men allegedly connected to the bombing, which China called a "suspected terrorist" attack.

Locals Unconcerned by Incidents

But on the streets of Beijing, where the Olympics will kick off Friday, many people seemed unconcerned about the potential for attacks, and some who admitted to being afraid said they were heartened by an increased police presence around the city.

Ashley Xiong, a Beijing-based tour administrator with the Chinese Youth Travel Service, wasn't fazed by the recent attacks.

"I feel very safe. There is not so much of a difference. Right now I'm touring with 1,400 foreigners in Beijing and Tianjin and we feel quite safe every day," the 25-year-old told ABC News. "Wherever we go, because we are such a big group, we have policemen with us."

While Xiong and other locals appeared to be at ease, recent terrorism seems to have affected the tourism business, including the China Youth Travel Service, one of China's largest travel companies. Some tour groups have scrapped their visits to Beijing entirely.

Approximately 100,000 anti-terrorism troops are expected to be deployed for the Olympics. Police officers monitor every street corner, from major thoroughfares to small residential intersections. Entering any subway station or large building in Beijing, citizens and tourists are greeted with bag inspections and scanning.

Shirley Fan, a legal assistant in Beijing, appreciates the frequent reminders of heightened security.

"I wonder if there will be problems at the Olympics during an event I attend," Fan said. "Then again, I've been a bit concerned the whole time, not just now. But when I see the increased number of police officers, I relax a bit. The government has placed a great importance on our safety."

Fan, who regularly rides the subway, has faith in Beijing's public transportation.

"I'm sure I'm just worrying too much," she told ABC News, "but I don't worry on the subway, it feels normal. Those security exams are quite thorough and if there is someone with something, they will definitely get discovered."

Jon Morales, a New Yorker who previously lived in Beijing for two years and has returned to watch the Olympics, wonders how Chinese authorities will react to potential incidents starting Friday.

"I'm worried about an overreaction by the police," Morales told ABC News. "I think we've seen they're not the most politically sensitive or aware police force in the world and can be pretty heavy handed at times."

A New Great Wall

2008-08-05T13:58:00.001+08:00

The Great Beijing Cleanup
As the Olympics Nears, the Chinese Government Erects a New Great Wall
By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug. 4, 2008 —

With a mere four days to go until the Olympics begin, thousands of
shopowners around Beijing are preparing for what they hope will be a
big month of tourist-generated profits. However, just across the
street from the Temple of Heaven, one of the city's most trafficked
tourist spots, August looks uncharacteristically bleak.

Chen Shihua, 43, has lived in and operated a small restaurant across
from the Temple of Heaven Park for over 20 years.

In July, she earned just over one thousand Chinese Yuan ($146) serving
noodles next door to a shoe shop and a clothing seller. Her modest
income was enough to put her children, ages 8 and 15, through public
school.

Her neighbor, Zhou Jiafeng, sold cold drinks and ice cream to tourists
along the street, providing much-needed relief from the summer sun.

But everything changed on July 17, when a notice from what seemed to
be city authorities was posted informing them a wall would be built
around their shabby but functional storefronts.

The next morning, construction workers appeared and built a 10-foot
brick wall in half a day, completely blocking Chen's storefront.

Suddenly, Chen's shabby but convenient street-side presence was
blocked, save for a door-sized opening. Hou's drink and ice cream
stand was now virtually invisible to the beaten path of neighbors and
tourists.

Two days later, Chen said, mysterious people wearing Olympic-looking
credentials hung Beijing Olympic signs on the wall facing the Temple
of Heaven.

Chen felt the effects immediately. Her income slowed to a sputter.

"Before the wall, we made 1,000 to 1,500 Yuan per day. Lunch was the
busiest. Now we probably only get 300 to 400," Cheng told ABC News.

Chen also owns the property of three shops next door and felt forced
to stop collecting rent money from her tenants.

"Why has this happened? The Olympics, definitely," she said in a
melancholic tone. "But you know, hosting the Olympics is not easy."

Wang Qing, 23, works in the clothing shop nestled between the shoe
seller and a trinket store just inside the newly constructed wall. A
fresh college graduate, Wang hopes to save up for grad school while
she helps her older cousin run his business while he's away.

She has been on the job since July 1 but her inexperience doesn't stop
her from observing reality.

"Sure, I've only been here a month but I understand the basics of
business," Wang Qing told ABC News on a sunny Saturday afternoon. "Our
income has dropped by two-thirds since July 18."

Beautifying China, Brick by Brick

According to the Center on Housing Rights and Eviction (COHRE), a
Geneva-based human rights group, Olympics-related construction has
displaced 1.5 million people in Beijing since the building process
began in 2000. Beijing municipal officials say approximately 14,900
residents have been asked to relocate.

The razing of neighborhoods has been for far more than just shiny new
stadiums. Historic neighborhoods in Beijing's central axis have been
gutted or covered up to help the city look clean and polished for
Olympics visitors.

In recent weeks, beautification of the city has been a top priority,
second only to security.

Billboard-sized walls have gone up, boasting Olympic slogans and
blocking incomplete construction projects and unsightly hutong
alleyways. Flowerbeds have been meticulously planted along every
avenue as popular street food vendors have suddenly vanished from the
sidewalks.

To make room for the venues and clean lines, scores of local residents
have been given financial compensation that's far from enough.

"This has become an Olympic nightmare. Our fear is that inadequate
redress and no one is being held accountable," said Salih Booker,
Executive Director of COHRE.

"You have the municipality and contractors with a financial interest
really exploiting this process, which reduces the amount of
compensation that the families who are relocated actually receive,"
Booker told ABC News.

"The corruption that has been so severe that this whole process has
reduced what is already inadequate levels of compensation.
Corruption&is denying people their basic rights to adequate housing,"
he said.

Chen, the restaurant owner and landlord, is trying to think ahead. She
anticipates the future with fear.

"If my income continues to fall, I won't be able to meet [my kids']
school fees," Chen said, as she fidgeted with a worn-out menu. After
the Games are over, Chen predicted what she believes will happen to
her and her neighbors.

"The authorities will talk with us, figure out the compensation, and
then ask us to leave. I'm not sure if they're going to give us a new
shopfront and home or if they'll give us money," Chen explained. "If
it's money, they definitely won't give us enough."

Back at the clothing store, it's another slow afternoon. Wang watches
a worker hammer a doorframe across the courtyard in what was
previously a door-sized gap in the wall. The doorless opening faces a
stream of tourists exiting the Temple of Heaven.

The young worker is building a 10-foot tall sliding door, which will
effectively seal off the shops from locals and tourists. Paid for by
the city government, the door is supposed to remain open during
business hours so merchants like Chen and Wang can continue to do
business.

Wang is skeptical.

"That door they're building is probably going to halt business
altogether," Wang said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"It's supposed to remain open during the day but we'll see. Why would
they install a door but not close it?"

Copyright (c) 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

China Snoops on Olympic Hotel Guests?

2008-08-03T14:23:00.002+08:00

China Snooping on Olympic Hotel Guests, ABC Learns

ABC Confirms That Web Access in Hotels Is to Be Monitored as China Eases Some Internet Restrictions

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, Aug. 1, 2008

The skies are bluer and the Internet is freer in Beijing today after a week of censorship controversy and thick pollution plagued Olympic officials and journalists. But the situation at the Games, which begin in a week, is far from perfect.

The Chinese government lifted some Internet restrictions after journalists and other groups complained that promises for press freedom during the games were violated.

However, loosened controls do not mean the Chinese will stop monitoring all foreign activities. On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., said that the Chinese government had installed Internet-spying equipment in all the major hotel chains serving the Olympics. He revealed a Chinese document that required such hotels to use monitoring devices during the Olympics.

Several major international hotel chains confirmed receiving the order to install online monitoring devices, Brownback said, citing a translated version of a document issued by China's Public Security Bureau.

One major international hotel chain, which operates in several Olympic host cities, told ABC News on condition of anonymity that they were recently contacted by Chinese authorities who requested that hotels install monitoring devices in their rooms, allowing the authorities to spy on guests.

This hotel chain, independently contacted by ABC, said that if they are forced, they will install the devices.

"The Chinese government has put in place a system to spy on and gather information about every guest at hotels where Olympic visitors are staying," Brownback said in a statement. "This means journalists, athletes' families and other visitors will be subjected to invasive intelligence gathering by the Chinese Public Security Bureau."

"I am very disappointed that the Chinese government will not follow through on its promise to the International Olympic Committee to maintain an environment free of government censorship during the Games," Brownback continued.

Monitoring and censorship of the Internet are common practices in China. Chinese citizens are routinely blocked from accessing Web sites related to traditionally controversial content including discussion on Taiwan independence and Tibet. Popular Western sites such as Wikipedia and Blogger are randomly blocked as well.

Concerned experts have warned Olympics visitors to bring "clean" laptops to guard from what they anticipate to be electronic information theft.

"People who are going to China should take a clean computer, one with no data at all," Phil Dunkelberger, chief executive of security software firm PGP Corp, told Reuters.

Dunkelberger and other experts recommended data encryption to protect contacts, business plans, and e-mails sent from China. Even if Internet monitoring devices are not installed in a hotel room, travelers with Blackberries or laptops could unknowingly offer personal or business information to government monitors.

The Beijing Public Security Bureau did not respond to requests for comment regarding Internet monitoring devices in Beijing hotels.

Foreign Journalists Still Lack All-Access Pass

The hotel spying allegations surfaced as foreign journalists working in the Olympic Village press center were blocked from accessing Web sites, including homepages for Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch along with sites related to Tianenmen Square and Tibetan exile groups.

The censorship came as a surprise after insistence by the International Olympic Committee that one of the main benefits of awarding the games to Beijing was that the event would make China freer and more open.

On Thursday night, Beijing loosened Internet controls after journalists reported a previously unknown agreement between IOC members and the Beijing committee (BOCOG) agreeing to censorship of major Web sites at Olympic press areas.

On Friday, IOC vice president Gunilla Lindberg told Reuters, "The issue has been solved."

"The IOC Coordination Commission and BOCOG met last night and agreed," she said on Friday. "Internet use will be just like in any Olympics."

However, this does not yet seem to be the case. Chinese authorities in Beijing have said that "Internet access is sufficient and convenient," though the provided access has fallen short of the original promise made by Beijing and the International Olympic Committee of "complete freedom" for domestic and foreign media groups.

Sites related to traditionally controversial subjects remained out of reach as of Friday afternoon in Beijing.

"The unblocking of sites&is a step forward," the Foreign Correspondents Club of China said in a statement. "But it is regrettable that other sites, such as those related to Falun Gong and Tibet exile groups, remain off limits."

Students for a Free Tibet, a group that plans to protest the Beijing Olympics, expressed anger at the censorship controversy.

"The IOC is not true to its word, has never been true to its word, and the leadership of Jacques Rogge has seriously and forever damaged the Olympic movement and all that it means to the world," Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet International, told ABC News in a teleconference on Friday.

With the Olympics seven days away, Beijing is doing its best to calm critics and repair damage. Today, in a press conference with a small group of journalists, Chinese President Hu Jintao sounded hopeful.

"The Chinese government and the Chinese people have been working in real earnest to honor the commitments made to the international community."

Whether Beijing will deliver, however, remains to be seen.

Beth Loyd and Reuters contributed reporting to this story.
Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Sneak Peek

2008-08-01T09:30:00.003+08:00

Secret's Out! China Rages Over Olympic Leak
Millions Catch a Sneak Peek of the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony Rehearsal
By JO LING KENT

July 31, 2008—

"Did you see it, did you see it?" was the question of the day in China this morning. In Beijing, buzz filled the air as a secretly filmed video of a rehearsal for the highly anticipated Olympics opening ceremony circulated on the Internet.

SBS, the Korean television station, accomplished what many thought to be impossible.

Security surrounding plans for the opening ceremony has been unprecedented. SBS somehow slipped by three layers of high security to shoot the opening ceremonies' dress rehearsal. The ceremony has cost Beijing more than $300 million and features over 10,000 performers.

The video surfaced online last night, allowing millions to catch a sneak peek of what promises to be China's proudest debut.

Damage Control

Authorities acted quickly to control the damage. The video -- which features floating dancers, thousands of synchronized martial artists, and giant blue whales -- was yanked from YouTube by mid-morning on Thursday and entirely blocked in China.

The Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG) was furious, saying that the filming was unauthorized.

"We are disappointed and frustrated with the broadcast by SBS,'' Beijing Olympics committee spokesman Sun Weide said at a press conference today.

"This was against the rules... we hope that everyone will wait until August 8 to see the opening ceremonies."

"It is disappointing that someone comes in there and literally steals one of the most exciting moments of the Games," said Kevan Gosper, an International Olympic Committee executive board member. "This is a great surprise and I have not heard of this happening before."

Whether SBS was allowed in the opening ceremonies rehearsal is unclear, and Sun did not indicate whether or how SBS would be punished for the recording.

"This matter is still under investigation,'' Sun said. "We are checking into the situation."

A representative from SBS told the Associated Press that nobody stopped them when they entered the stadium on Monday.

"Chinese officials let us in after we showed our ID cards and we shot the rehearsal," the anonymous SBS official said.

Chinese React Strongly

Online Chinese media reacted with strong disapproval. The popular Web portal Sohu.com ran a headline stating, "SBS Has Lost the Face of [embarrassed] Korea."

A poll on the same Web site revealed that 88.6 percent of participants felt that the recording "was inconsiderate and they should be punished accordingly."

In blogs and chatrooms, Chinese responses ranged from disbelief to rage to hope. The bulletin boards and blogs brimmed with dialogue on the secret video.

"If this is real, then the Koreans are just too disgraceful," said one user on the Qiluzutan discussion board.

Other Chinese had harsher words for the Korean television station.

"How did the Korean pigs get in? Someone should be held responsible to the people of China," a blogger posted on Sina.com.

"Korean people just love stealing things from China," vented another.

A calmer Chinese fan recalled his experience with the 2004 Olympics in Athens. "In today's media, divulging this type of secret seems normal. Last time at the Athens Olympics, I remember the secret of how the torch would be lit at the opening ceremonies was revealed, and our own CCTV reported on it."

A few bloggers encouraged their counterparts to move on by taking things into their own hands. "We can make sure that our opening ceremonies are perfect without a flaw if we stop spreading and downloading this video," a Sina.com blogger wrote.

"We should see the opening ceremonies in their entirety, so just hold on, for the sake of the world audience, for the pride of the country, for the hard work that all the workers have put in!"

A few more dress rehearsals are scheduled before the official kickoff on August 8. It's a good bet that security will reach all-time highs yet again.

The video can be viewed here.

Zhan Tao Yang contributed research to this story.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Beijing Preps for Pollution and Protests

2008-07-31T13:37:00.002+08:00

Shooting for Perfection: Beijing Strives for No Surprises

The Chinese Government Is Striving for Perfection at the Beijing Olympics
By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, July 30, 2008

China is keeping a wary eye on its smog, its weather and its critics as its make final preparations for an Olympic Games it hopes will be remembered for its athletes, not its aggravations.

Today in Beijing, thick smog returned to haunt the capital less than 24 hours after a burst of heavy showers washed away the pollution. Citizens standing on Tiananmen Square viewed a fuzzy Olympics countdown clock as they gazed through the haze late this afternoon.

Last-Minute Pollution Controls

Beijing is taking every precaution when it comes to ensuring clear skies for the Opening Ceremonies, scheduled to begin at 8:08 p.m. on Aug. 8. Satellite monitoring systems and cloud seeding are among the strategies planned to prevent rain from spoiling China's big moment on the world stage.

This is the 10th day of an odd-even license plate policy for drivers in Beijing. Chinese authorities claim that air quality has improved despite the thick blanket of smog.

International Olympic Committee executive director Gilbert Felli has been in Beijing for three weeks and was optimistic. He expects Beijing's air quality will continue to improve with the help of additional rain this week.

"Most of the people see the fog, they say it is pollution. But we know here it's not pollution. It's mist, a fact of the nature," Felli told Xinhua, China's official state media.

"It's always a [mix of] excitement and nervousness 10 days before the games & because you want to make sure that everybody is happy and you don't have flaws," Felli said.

Environmentalist groups are more cautious in their assessment.

"It is easy to pollute, but much harder to clean up the damage," said Greenpeace China's Campaign Director Lo Sze Ping in a press conference on Monday.

"Despite the long- and short-term plans by Beijing, air pollution remains one of the toughest challenges for the city."

Protesters Prepare for Beijing

As officials scramble for blue skies in Beijing, protestors outside of China prepare to pursue their own Olympic dreams. Just over a week before the opening ceremonies, Tibet supporters placed a full-page advertisement in the New York Times today hoping to recruit an athlete to show his or her support for Tibet in Beijing.

The advertisement, sponsored by Students for a Free Tibet and the International Tibet Support Network, stated in part, "At every Olympics, there is one athlete who ends up inspiring the world with their courage and character. We're hoping that athlete is reading this."

On the Web site listed on the bottom of the advertisement, suggestions for "showing support for Tibet in Beijing" include raising a Tibetan flag, wearing "Team Tibet" apparel, and other nonviolent expressions.

"Olympic athletes have the platform and the power to inspire the world," said Tenzin Dorjee, deputy director of Students for a Free Tibet.

"At the Beijing Games, we believe athletes have the opportunity to inspire not only with their athletic performances, but also by standing up for what is right by supporting & freedom for Tibet," Dorjee said in a press release.

This student group isn't the only organization reaching out to make a splash in Beijing. Groups in Australia, India, Europe and North America are reaching out to Olympic athletes and providing them with materials to show their support for Tibet next month.

However, no demonstration of "political, religious or racial propaganda" would be permitted in Olympic sites or areas, according to Liu Shaowu, director of security for the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the Olympics (BOCOG).

Instead, individuals may express themselves in three public parks earmarked for protesters by BOCOG, including Ritan Park located in the center of the embassy district. Exactly who plans to protest remains unknown.

At Ritan Park this week, frequent visitors to the park are aware but not worried about the protest zones. Sun Xiaosheng owns a rock climbing wall in the park.

"The worst thing I expect is that I have to suspend my business for several weeks during the demonstrations," Sun Xiaosheng told Xinhua. "But I believe the protests would be peaceful."

While establishing their presence in Beijing next month is a top priority, campaigns such as Students for a Free Tibet and Dream for Darfur have been consistently denied visas into mainland China.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

One World, One Dream, One Haircut

2008-07-29T16:56:00.003+08:00

A Beijing barber, Wu Dasheng, gives free Olympic haircuts to boys in his neighborhood. Adorable!

Photo by Xinhua

Forever Young

2008-07-29T16:52:00.001+08:00

Too Young to Compete in the Olympics?
A Look at the Age Controversy Brewing in Chinese Gymnastics
REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, China, July 28, 2008 —

Controversy and excitement just won't stop brewing in Beijing, where questions were raised this weekend about the eligibility of two of China's top female gymnasts, just two days after the country named its largest Olympic team in history 11 days before the Olympic opening ceremonies.

A Sunday report in the New York Times mirrored stories that have appeared in the Chinese media over the last several months that cast doubt on the ages of Chinese gymnasts He Kexin and Jiang Yuyuan.

Under a rule instituted in 1997, gymnasts must turn 16 during the 2008 calendar year to be eligible for the 2008 Olympics.

Officials with the Federation of International Gymnastics (FIG) said doubts about gymnast He's age had been raised by Chinese news media reports, USA Gymnastics and fans. But Chinese authorities claim to have passport information demonstrating that He is indeed 16.

According to copies of passports obtained by ABC News, He Kexin was born on Jan. 1, 1992, and fellow Chinese gymnast Jiang Yuyuan's birthdate is listed on her passport as Nov. 1, 1991, making both of them indeed eligible for this year's games.

But there are a suspiciously high number of reports that put He's and Jiang's ages into question. A report on the Chinese-language Web site Sina.com said He Kexin was 13 years old in November 2007, too young to compete in the Olympics this year.

In a May 23 article, the China Daily stated that He was 13 as well. Three days later, the official state newspaper issued a correction that said she was in fact 16.

Some Chinese have chalked the controversy up to reporters' human error in their stories. While reporters are bound to make mistakes now and then, research by ABC News suggests that this controversy could be more than just a typo or two.

He Kexin debuted on the international stage this year, winning the gold medal in uneven bars at major international events in Doha, Qatar and Cottbus, Germany. In a YouTube video of He Kexin performing in Doha, the sports announcer broadcasted, in Arabic, that He was 14 years old.

In 2007, He competed in a domestic competition in Chengdu, where her birthdate is listed as "1994.1.1" on an official roster of Chinese gymnasts.

When He splashed onto the international stage this year, the online community in China started buzzing about her age. Message boards raised doubt about He's age. A blog on Baidu, the country's most popular search engine and Web portal, was a typical example. The English is translated from the original Chinese below:

Post 1: "We all hope that He Kexin can compete at the Olympics, but it seems as if she's not quite old enough&."

Reply 1: "In China, age is never a problem."

Reply 2: "Age is definitely not a problem, in the national sports system, results are the most important. In America, age might be a problem, but there's no way the Chinese team is that stupid&."

In a phone interview with ABCNews.com, anthropologist and Chinese Olympic sports expert Susan Brownell said that the He and Jiang age concerns could very well be founded. She explained that there is a history of underage gymnasts. In a country like China, Brownell said, it is fairly easy to change the age of athletes.

The Chinese Federation for Gymnastics did not respond to a request for comment.

In the end, we may never know the athletes' true ages. The Federation of International Gymnastics received copies of He's and Jiang's official passports and those documents will stand until proven incorrect.

This isn't the first time China has been investigated for age validity. Ironically, He Kexin's signature uneven bars release move is named after Li Ya, a Chinese gymnast whose birthday was also reportedly changed in order for her to compete at the world championships five years ago in Anaheim.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Ticket Mayhem in Beijing

2008-07-29T16:49:00.001+08:00

What Would You Do for an Olympics Ticket?
Chinese Line Up, Sweat and Shove for Olympic Tickets One Final Time
By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, July 25, 2008 —

The aggressive crowds, thick pollution, and 90-degree heat didn't stop tens of thousands of Chinese from pitching makeshift tents and lining up throughout the city Thursday for the last chance to score tickets to next month's Olympics in Beijing.

Tickets went on sale today at 9 a.m. local time. A few at the front of the line said they headed straight for the ticket office as soon word got out on Wednesday.

Standing in the midst of thousands of ticket-hungry people this morning, the scene felt both orderly and chaotic.

Flocks of volunteers lined the streets of the Olympic Sports Center, as people flooded the grounds with visions of Olympic glory, or at least tickets, dancing in their heads.

Citizens and police peacefully chatted and sweated the hours away. Bottled water was distributed to crowds in lines over 20 people deep and more than a kilometer long.

The crowd was as diverse as it was thick. A married couple from Anhui lined up next to a student waiting to get her grandmother a ticket. Fans traveled from as far as southern Fujian Province (across the strait from Taiwan) and as near as Beijing to try their luck in the last of four ticketing phases.

Many families anticipated the long wait, packing picnic lunches, books and iPods. One family from neighboring Hebei Province sprawled out on bamboo mats near the end of the line. The father, parked beneath an umbrella, said they had been waiting for more than two hours and hadn't moved a centimeter.

"There are too many people here, but we were just told we'll definitely get some tickets. So we're staying," he told ABCNews.com. He and the others camped out nearby all said they were looking for tickets for the same sport: Diving. China is considered to have one of the best diving teams in the world.

A Beijing college student said, "Guo Jingjing [China's top female diver] is China's pride."

"Seeing her dive would be a dream come true, especially in that strange-looking building," she said, referring to the unique bubble-like addition to Beijing's urban landscape.

As the morning dragged on, the crowds grew restless. As loudspeakers blared with updates on ticket availability and safety reminders, anxious fans pushed and shoved forward. In some lines, ticket hopefuls were agitating in the wrong direction, unable to see which way was forward.

Rachel Wasser, an American working in Beijing, camped out in the Olympic Sports Center in a brave attempt to score tickets to table tennis next month.

"I got [here] around nine last night. It was very interesting, very tiring, very Chinese," she said.

Wasser, who has studied and lived in mainland China for about two years, described seeing shameless attempts to cut in line and explosive surges of people trying to move ahead.

"[People] were cutting so much that I was worried that I would wait all night and not get tickets at all," Wasser told ABCNews.com.

Authorities are also going after scalpers. The Beijing News said 44 had been detained, including one who had been selling 50 yuan ($7.30) tickets for a basketball match for 5,000 yuan ($732.20).

After being packed like a sardine and nearly trampled throughout a sleepless night, Wasser arrived at the ticket counter at 11:30 this morning, more than fourteen hours after she stepped in line.

Wasser's long wait was well worth it. She emerged victorious with a pair of women's semi-final table tennis tickets. The Chinese always field a strong pingpong team, and it is one of the most sought after events in Beijing.

Relieved and exhausted, Wasser was happy to finally have tickets in hand.

"I waited like everyone else," she said.

Reuters contributed to the reporting of this story.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Run Liu Run

2008-07-25T15:29:00.005+08:00

The Pressure's On as China Rushes for Gold

Chinese Athletes Face High Expectations to Win Big in Beijing

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, July 24, 2008 —

On the streets of Beijing, the face of China's first male Olympic
track champion, Liu Xiang, is omnipresent. It is nearly impossible to
walk one block without seeing his chiseled grin beaming down from a
billboard. As a spokesman for Nike, Coca-Cola, and Cadillac, one would
think Liu is set for life.

But in his final sprint toward the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Liu is
experiencing more pressure than ever before.

After winning the 110-meter hurdles in Athens in 2004, Liu barely had
time to enjoy the fruits of his victory before his countrymen began
inquiring how he planned to defend his title on home turf four years
later.

Now the Beijing Games are just 15 days away, and the expectations for
Liu, one of China's most famous athletes, are epic. Today, the China
Daily warned, "Defeat would be a disaster for him, for China and for
his many admirers."

China's native son, known to deliver his best performances at major
track competitions, can't help but feel the pressure himself. Today,
he expressed his stress to the China Daily.

"I will try my best, but I still have to live after this period. I
think that when I retire it will be better."

When asked if Chinese athletes feel more pressure to win gold medals
in Beijing, He Yi, the deputy director of Competitive Sports
Departments in the Beijing Sports Bureau, smiled.

"We are the host city of the host country!" He said. "For athletes
here, that's even more encouragement to do well."

To Win Pride for One's Country

The intense hope for Liu to produce gold originates far beyond his
adoring fans. The Chinese government measures the nation's athletic
success by the team's performance at the Olympics.

Professor Susan Brownell, author of "Beijing's Games: What the
Olympics Mean to China," says the expectations for these athletes is
different. "Chinese athletes are under an incredible amount of
pressure this year because of the notion that they should win glory
for the nation," Brownell said.

There is a commonly used phrase in Chinese, "wei guo zheng guang,"
which means to win pride for one's country. According to Brownell,
"That really does mean a lot for Chinese athletes."

The burden of China's history is said to weigh heavily on the
shoulders of Chinese athletes. From the Opium Wars in the 1840s to the
Communist revolution in 1949, China is sensitive to the idea that it
has suffered at the hands of the West and Japan.

"It's my impression that most Chinese athletes take their duty to win
glory for the nation seriously," Brownell said. "It has to do with the
way they learn the history of their country."

According to Brownell, an athlete's victory at the Olympics is a "kind
of redemption for the kind of humiliation and suffering that China has
experienced in the past."

"Most Chinese people do understand their history that way and they do
take the past seriously," she said.

Lifetime Perks for Champions Who Bring Home Gold

The government is keeping a close eye on how many gold medals the
People's Republic can garner on home soil. Those who deliver will be
handsomely rewarded.

"The country's [sports] goals are oriented towards the Olympics&we
only count gold medals," He Yi explained to ABC News.

"The goal is to get the best."

For Chinese athletes, the gold medals mean far more than just the
usual fame and endorsements which American athletes receive at home.

Unlike in the United States, in China standing atop an Olympic podium
also means cash bonuses and perks for life. Younger athletes receive
preferential admission to prestigious universities as well.

"If you win a gold medal, the government will provide a relatively
high financial allowance. This way, when they go to college or retire,
the government has provided a guarantee," said He Yi.

"Maybe they will get apartments," observed Brownell. "There are a lot
of perks that go along with winning that gold medal that can affect
your future career and your future life."

But there is a clear delineation between gold and other medals. The
government's most lucrative incentive policies are for gold medalists
only.

"Eighth place and other places&of course everyone's a hero. But when
we come back, the benefits and rewards will be far less [than gold],"
explained He.

Out to Beat the United States?

On Tuesday, officials said that China is aiming to improve upon the
team's performance in Athens.

It comes as no surprise that the team's ultimate goal is to win more
gold medals at home next month. In 2004, the People's Republic took
home the third most medals over all and swept up 32 gold medals,
besting every country except the United States, which won 36.

But in recent weeks, the Chinese have also attempted to play down
their expectations for gold. Officials and fans alike have expressed
their interest in high-level performances, not necessarily podium
appearances. Whether they come in first or sixth, they say, doesn't
matter.

"The charm of elite sport is its uncertainty," Zhang Haifeng,
spokesman for the Chinese Sports Ministry, told a news conference in
Beijing.

"We do have a target," Zhang continued. "That is to rank among the top
nations in the medals table. We managed that&in Athens and we hope to
do better in Beijing."

Vice Sports Minister Feng Jianzhong stated that for the general medal
count, "the more, the better."

As for Liu Xiang, hurdling towards another Olympic gold in August will
be a tall order. Plagued with an injury in his right leg and stiff
competition from Cuban track star Dayron Robles, Liu could end up
standing second highest on the podium.

Copyright (c) 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

When Will the Olympics End?

2008-07-24T08:34:00.001+08:00

When Will the Olympics End?
For Beijing Residents, It's One World, but Maybe Not One Dream

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, July 23, 2008 —

With just over two weeks left until the Beijing Olympics, the streets of China's capital are lined with flowing banners, blooming flowers and flocks of smiling, uniformed volunteers. It's impossible to step into a hotel or a hutong (small street) without seeing the ubiquitous slogan: "One World, One Dream."

But while Olympic fever has swept the entire city, there are some Beijing residents who find the games to be anything but a dream.

A Pew Global Attitudes survey released this week found that many urban Chinese are overwhelmingly optimistic about the Olympics. Seventy-nine percent of citizens indicated the games were personally important to them.

However, according to the survey, 34 percent thought the country was paying too much attention to the Games. In newspapers and the blogosphere, many seem to agree.

Put Away Your Washcloths and Bicycles

The Olympic preparations have brought a litany of rules and regulations, restricting public and private transportation, forbidding unauthorized outdoor events and silencing live music and business events.

In the Beijing News, citizens expressed annoyance at highly specific regulations that banned barbershops from drying their towels outside and shopowners from parking bicycles at their doorways.

One opinion essay agreed with newly imposed traffic restrictions that ban cars with odd-numbered license plates one day, even-numbered plates the next, in an effort to promote cleaner air. But the writer complained that regulating towels and bicycles "will only cause unnecessary inconvenience."

"Just imagine, if we go to other countries for the Games, do we care that towels are hung outside and bicycles are parked at doorways?"

When "Contraception" Means "No Olympics"

Internet users suffering from Olympic fatigue have created slang terms to express the inconvenience caused by the Beijing games.

The Chinese language is made up of tens of thousands of written characters, some of which have identical pronunciations. Word riddles are often used as jokes between friends and a way to indicate dissatisfaction or sarcasm.

In Mandarin Chinese, "bi yun" means contraception or avoiding pregnancy.

According to the popular online portal Sohu.com, "bi yun" is now being used in reference to avoiding the Olympics or escaping from Beijing to another destination during the 17-day affair. Becoming pregnant, or "shou yun," represents traveling to Beijing to watch the Olympics or experience the excitement.

The play on words is catching on fast.

Sohu posted an online poll asking its users if they will "shou yun" or "bi yun" on Aug. 8, the day of the opening ceremonies. Bloggers on major Web communities such as Tianya have employed the terminology alongside complaints about newly implemented traffic rules, security checks at subway stations, construction projects and other inconveniences to Beijingers.

Those searching for an escape from the games have signed up for tours called "avoiding Olympics packages." If misheard, the spoken Mandarin Chinese for that term, "bi yun tao," sounds like "condom."

Officials Save a Spot for Protesters

For the disgruntled who want to air their grievances in person during the Olympics, the local committee has specified areas in three public parks for protesters in Beijing, including one downtown. Director for Olympic Security Liu Shaowu said at a news conference today that Beijing will "invite demonstrators to hold their demonstrations in designated places."

Pre-determined space for protesters is standard practice for the Olympics. Athens organized similar areas for the 2004 Olympics.

China's decision comes after a period of internal debate over whether public protests might disrupt the government's attempts to use the Olympics to improve its image abroad.

Waiting Game

With only 16 days left, Beijing is paying close attention to every last detail. Small tents of volunteers have been installed on nearly every major street corner to guide visitors, distribute maps and translate. In Wangfujing, a major shopping district east of the Forbidden City, volunteers clad in blue and white polos were primarily undergraduate students who could speak five languages between them.

In historic central Beijing, retirees who typically enjoy their mornings ambling hutong alleyways and looking after their grandchildren have volunteered to help in their neighborhoods. At the beginning of this week, the local Olympic committee distributed thousands of official red and white shirts and reusable water bottles to these volunteers.

"Doesn't it look good?" asked a 72-year-old woman in the Andingmen neighborhood. "We're usually out here enjoying the morning so it's convenient to help the Olympics too. We've been asked to give directions and just be around in case anybody has a problem."

Asked if she's excited for the Olympics to arrive in her neighborhood, the woman, who gave her last name as Zhang, paused for a moment to consider the question.

"Yes, yes I am. I'm glad I've lived long enough to see it!"

For some, the Beijing Olympics -- China's coming-out party to the world -- is an opportunity of a lifetime. For others, the party couldn't be over soon enough.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Why the Kunming Bus Blasts Probably Isn't Pre-Olympic Terrorism

2008-07-23T15:18:00.006+08:00

Check out my latest piece in which I put Monday's Kunming bus blast into context.

Or skip the click and read here:

Putting The China Bus Blast Into Context
July 22, 2008 7:53 AM
By Jo Ling Kent, ABC News Beijing

With three short weeks remaining until the Beijing Olympics kick off, security and tension in China are at rare levels. When two buses exploded in downtown Kunming on Monday morning, the rumor mill started turning. Was it a traffic accident? Disgruntled farmers? Terrorism?

Before the Kunming blasts are chalked up to terrorism or pre-Olympic protests, it's important to note three recent developments in China.

[Photo] First, bus explosions do occur throughout China from time to time. In May, days prior to the Sichuan earthquake, a self-detonated bus bomb killed three people in Shanghai. Often, blasts like these go unreported. Such attacks are typically carried out by angry workers or farmers airing their grievances over corruption, wages or poverty. The Kunming incident, while tragic, is not something new.

Second, with the Olympics around the corner, the Chinese government has been clamping down on activity that could be considered suspect and publicizing it more than usual. Officials want to address the unrest at a local or provincial level in order to reduce the likelihood that potential activists and terrorists will come knocking on Beijing's door next month. Without the world's watchful eyes on Beijing and the Olympics, this bus explosion could have gone unreported altogether.

Third, the Kunming bus explosions happened during a highly sensitive period for China. A lot of unrest has been bubbling to the surface over the past few months and especially in recent weeks. Just two days ago, Yunnan police opened fire and killed two rubber farmers in the province's Menglian County. Forty-one police officers were injured during that incident, which was reportedly caused by a dispute between farmers and a private rubber company, Xinhua stated. The Kunming and Menglian incidents are most likely unrelated. The government has sent a group to investigate.

Less than two weeks ago, 82 suspects in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region were detained. According to Chen Zhuangwei, head of the Public Security Bureau of Urumqi, the individuals were arrested for allegedly plotting sabotage activities against the Beijing Olympics.

Thousands of protesters in Guizhou and Guangdong provinces have also rioted in the past month, grabbing headlines and making their case.

With the Games just around the corner, the atmosphere in China is certainly far from normal.

As for the Kunming blasts themselves, various reports are in the air about who is behind the blast. The state-run Xinhua news agency blamed the explosions on "sabotage."

The Southwest Metropolis Daily, a Chinese newspaper, reported that several residents received cryptic text messages early Monday.

"The general mobilization of ants... [I] hope citizens receiving this message will not take bus lines 54, 64 and 84 tomorrow morning," the newspaper quoted the message as saying.

In an effort to squash rumors, the Ministry of Public Security immediately dispatched an investigative team to Kunming yesterday and tightened security to prevent potential suspects from escaping.

Roadside checkpoints have been instituted in the city as well.

Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, is 1,500 miles southwest of Beijing. Though far away, the blasts managed to aggravate the capital. In reaction to the incidents, the police voiced growing concern that domestic terrorism is on the rise and may disrupt the Olympics.

Beijing is also doing its very best to prevent any unwanted interruptions during the Olympics by instituting safety measures from all angles. In June, police began searching and scanning bags at subway entrances. Vehicles entering Beijing city limits are now subject to police inspection, which has caused a great deal of congestion and inconvenience.

According to Xinhua, the city has organized an anti-terror force of 100,000, as well as nearly 300,000 volunteers and 150,000 security guards to help maintain order during the games. Last week, the Ministry of Public Security published a safety handbook for citizens that explains how to identify suspicious behavior during the Olympics.

Whether these tightened security measures will allow Beijing to maintain a "harmonious society" during the Olympics remains to be seen. As China inches closer to the Olympics, Beijing is on high alert.

Cheerleading Chinese Style

2008-07-22T07:13:00.002+08:00

Pompoms and Nunchucks: Cheerleading with Chinese Characteristics

By Jo Ling Kent
July 21, 2008

Beijing, China- Li Xue, 24, cheers with pompoms and megaphones. She can also dance with nunchucks and silk fans in hand. The quintessentially American sport of cheerleading has arrived in China – and Li is high kicking her way straight to Olympic glory.

Less than a decade ago, cheerleading did not exist in China. Next month, it will take center stage at one of the most newsworthy Olympics in recent memory.

Inspired by the National Basketball Association, the Chinese Basketball Association replaced amateur dancers with professional cheerleaders to entertain crowds in 2002. As with many new phenomena in China, cheerleading began growing exponentially.

When Li Xue began cheering six years ago, the concept of cheerleading was almost entirely unknown in China.

“I saw a bulletin at my university advertising the selection of a national cheerleading team,” Li explained to ABC News. “At the time, I wasn’t sure what cheerleading was. But I liked to dance and watch basketball so I went to try out. I really had no idea because in China, there was no culture for this.”

Li not only made the national team but also became one of the pioneers of Chinese cheerleading. Six years later, as captain of one of the premier teams in Beijing, she is paving the way for a relative new sport virtually unknown to most Chinese.

Today, from the capitol of Beijing to the far-flung deserts of Xinjiang Province, thousands of cheerleading squads have popped up along the sidelines of sports events. The cheerleaders aren’t just dancers either. Students, investment bankers, teachers, and former flight attendants make up the cheerleading squads. In August, 600 volunteer cheerleaders, chosen through a competitive selection process, will take their biggest stage yet at the Beijing Olympics.

Go China Go!

To prepare and polish China’s Olympic cheerleaders in time for the games, the local organizing committee brought in the experts: the New England Patriots cheerleading squad.

Patriots Director of Cheerleading Tracy Sormanti knows a world stage when she sees one. Having been a part of three Super Bowl Championships with the Patriots, she believes the Beijing Olympics is a golden opportunity for China’s cheerleaders.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Perform with all of your heart and realize how lucky [you] are. Don’t take it for granted,” Sormanti told cheerleaders in Beijing two weeks ago.

With the Olympic spirit in mind, the Patriots and Chinese cheerleaders spent more than a week together training for up to four hours per day. Energetic and eager to learn, the Chinese teams picked up new routines as if they had been cheering their entire lives, surprising the Patriots cheerleaders and coaches.

“I honestly didn’t know they had only been cheering for six years,” says Leah Vandale, a veteran Patriots cheerleader.

“If they were in the U.S. in a cheer competition or dance class, I don’t think anyone could tell they came from China,” says Lindsay Barrows, a Patriots cheerleader who has been with the squad for two years. “They had the ability to match our moves.”

At the same time, the Chinese cheerleaders see plenty of room for improvement. Yang Xue, a 20-year-old basketball cheerleader from Shandong Province, agrees.

“The Patriots cheerleaders have so much spirit and enthusiasm. We’re working on matching their level,” Yang told ABC News between routines.

A Grand Vision for Cheerleading

As China’s cheerleaders aim to meet international cheering standards and emulate the Patriots, they are crafting an art of their own as well.

Soojin Cho, hailed as the “cheerleader of Chinese cheerleading,” is the president of the Soojin Dance Team, China’s premier cheerleading squad. A South Korean who immigrated to Beijing in the early 1990s, Cho has a vision for cheerleading in China that goes far beyond American-inspired pompoms and miniskirts.

“In our performances [for the Olympics], we are combining various different cultures,” Cho says.

At her penthouse studio overlooking downtown Beijing, the din of chattering cheerleaders swells to a roar. She yells “quiet!” to the gaggle of twenty-something students and Li, the team captain, begins leading the warm-up. Cho’s team practices with traditional Chinese silk fans and nunchucks while wearing outfits inspired by the qipao, a one-piece dress popularized by Manchu women in the Qing dynasty.

“We began implementing Chinese culture in our dances three years ago, like remixed traditional music, a terracotta warriors theme, and even small Chinese rattle drums,” Cho told ABC News.

“We have a special style about us and I imagine American audiences would love it. The Patriots cheerleaders did.”

Beyond the music, Cho hopes to instill fair and healthy principles in her cheerleaders. Watching them leap across the floor, she says, “I want the environment here to be one where women can feel respected.”

Growing up in a Korean culture that prized well-behaved wives, Cho believes she can help young Chinese women find their way as individuals.

“I hope that being on a Chinese cheerleading team means equality and opportunity. Whoever works hard and performs well can be a cheerleader,” Cho explained. “It’s not about perfect women or big chests or tiny waists…I hope that cheerleading can help Chinese women find themselves.”

“I hope forty and fifty year old women can go out there and cheer, too. Even if you’re missing an arm, I want them to know they can cheer too.”

Cheerleading in China seems like a permanent fixture in athletics. Nicholas Krippendorf, Director of Chinese Business Development for the New England Patriots, views the Olympics as both a foundation and launching pad for cheerleading.

“There’s this rising tide of a sports industry and this will encourage people to search for a variety of different sports activities,” he says. “With all the new facilities, people will have places to play. Just like people’s standards for cars, clothes and food have increased, their standards for sports and variety of sports will increase.”

Olympic Glory

Next month, team captain Li Xue and Soochin Cho’s dance team will cheer at the two of the most popular events in China: basketball and beach volleyball.

Sun Zheng, 21, who is going into her senior year of college, will be cheering on teams from around the world at beach volleyball matches.

“Our job is to cheer on every team. But if there’s an opportunity, I hope we can cheer on China,” Sun told ABC News.

“People often say the entire country will attend the Olympics, but the chance to actually be in the Olympics is very special. It makes me proud.”

The rapid rise of Chinese cheerleading doesn’t mean fans will be allowed to let loose at Olympic competitions. Last week, the organizing committee issued a statement prohibiting fans from bringing banners such as those that read “Go USA!” into Olympic venues. The committee stated that banners violate the fairness principle of Olympic events. Cameras and umbrellas will also not be allowed.

But the cheerleaders will try to make up for the strict rules by wowing the crowds with their moves and spirit with hopes that they’ll make a lasting impression.

Li, who will lead the cheers at Olympic basketball games, says, “I hope that in the future when Chinese people attend an athletic match, it’d be weird not to have us out there cheering.”

Bridging East and West With Songs

2008-07-15T10:47:00.001+08:00

Can You Feel the Love? A Foreigner Takes China by Song

'My Shows Are All About Bridging the West With the East'

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, July 9, 2008 —

Barry Cox got his start in China like many young foreigners often do: with a plane ticket, a few hundred dollars in his wallet and visions of adventures in the People's Republic.

However, unlike most expatriates who study Chinese or teach English in the People's Republic, the Liverpool, England, native hit the stage with a microphone and a few Cantonese pop songs that took him far beyond the local karaoke bar.

Today, Cox, 30, is one of the region's hottest rising stars, known as the "Egg Man" for crooning classic Cantonese ballads and belting out pop tracks in Cantonese, Mandarin and, once in a while, English.

Cox, who is known as Gok Pak-wing to local Chinese, couldn't always speak Cantonese. And six years ago, he wasn't much of a singer either.

As a young man, "I was never really a fan of singing," Cox said.

Finished with school at the age of 16, Cox was eager to try something new to set himself apart.

"I said to myself, 'Think about what you want to be doing 10 years from now.' I wanted to learn a language to make me stand out. First, I tried Spanish, but it didn't work out," he said.

"There's a Chinatown [in Liverpool]. So I thought, 'That's what I need to do!'"

An Unconventional Path

Instead of signing up for classes, Cox befriended a Chinese family in Liverpool and visited its restaurant with high hopes.

"I went to the take-away [restaurant] a few times and I asked if I could learn Chinese."

As luck would have it, the owner's son was interested in improving his English. Cox and the owner's son became fast friends and language partners.

Unaware at the time that there are several Chinese dialects, Cox began learning Cantonese, slowly mastering its nine tonal variations.

Cantonese, the primary dialect spoken in Hong Kong and southern China, is often considered more difficult to learn than Mandarin, the country's official language, which originates from the north.

Logging time at the family's restaurant wasn't enough for young Cox.

He took jobs stocking shelves in Chinatown supermarkets and helping out at restaurants. He further immersed himself in the local Chinese community by taking Cantonese lessons at a language school and a cultural center in Liverpool.

New Year's Song Becomes a Career

As the Chinese New Year approached, teachers asked Cox and his classmates if anyone would perform a song for the annual celebration.

"Everyone said no, but I said, 'Well, yeah, I'm gonna do it.'"

It took him two months to learn it, but eventually Cox performed "I Love You OK" by the famous Hong Kong pop star Leon Lai.

"I couldn't pronounce or sing," Cox laughed. "But people still applauded!"

Little did he know, this humble moment in Liverpool would soon open doors to fame on the other side of the globe.

Singing From Liverpool to Hong Kong

The world of Barry Cox has dramatically transformed since his off-key debut in Liverpool.

Cox invested in singing lessons and began winning local contests in the United Kingdom and China. Eager to test the waters full-time in China, Cox moved to Hong Kong six years ago with hopes of breaking into the Chinese music scene.

"I moved with nothing, and I didn't know one single person," Cox told ABC News.

At first, local producers did not know what to do with his foreign face and Cantonese tunes. But Cox stuck with what he knew best and continued winning singing contests, slowly paving a path to a steady gig.

Today, Cox headlines at the Sands, a five-star casino and resort in Macau, one of the world's top gambling destinations. By night, he sings classic Cantonese ballads and Mandarin hits for his audiences.

His fans have fallen in love with his trilingual concerts. Warmly received as the "Egg Man," Chinese fondly say he is "white on the outside and yellow on the inside," according to a press release by his record label, Schlepp Records.

"I have quite a large fan base. I have old ladies and different age groups. They feel the vibe and everyone's loving it," Cox said. "I think I sing something different so maybe that's why they like it."

Cashing in on the Market

And now that he's established, 2008 continues to be a big year for Cox.

He is recording his first album and touring in Singapore, and yet again he's venturing into new territory with his first single, "Feel the Love (Deep Inside)." The multilingual club track features Ayi Jihu, a seductive Chinese R&B star from Sichuan province.

In August, Cox and Jihu are slated to perform at a charity concert in Beijing to raise money for Sichuan earthquake survivors.

In his spare time, Cox wastes no time resting on his laurels.

Unlike most pop stars, such as P. Diddy or Jennifer Lopez, who launched clothing lines after making it big, Cox isn't waiting for worldwide fame before he hits the design studio.

In partnership with a Hong Kong clothing retailer, Cox has designed urban-themed T-shirts that he describes as "classy and sporty."

Emblazoned with "Barry" along the front and sleeves, Cox hopes that the shirts will "go with a pair of drinks and a pair of jeans."

Chopsticks and Chicken Feet

Cox realizes his newfound notoriety has made him an informal two-way ambassador between China and the United Kingdom.

In China, his fans still regard him with a bit of wonder -- as that foreigner who sings Chinese songs onstage. Six years and hundreds of concerts later, friends and family from Liverpool ask Cox, "Wow, you know how to use chopsticks? Aw, you eat chicken feet?"

"I tell them China is one of the most special places in the world," Cox says. "I love China."

As he mulls over his next 10-year plan, he first reflects on the past decade.

"I have done things that most people could only dream of doing. I'd like to keep that going."

And now, Cox plans to reach out to more fans and, eventually, go global.

"My shows are all about bridging the West with the East."

19 Years Ago

2008-06-04T22:47:00.000+08:00

From the NYT op-ed page:

China’s Grief, Unearthed

By MA JIAN

London

FOR three days last month, China’s national flag flew at half-staff in Tiananmen Square to honor the victims of the devastating earthquake in Sichuan. It was the first time in memory that China has publicly commemorated the deaths of ordinary civilians.

Crowds were allowed to gather in the square to express sympathy for their compatriots. Despite a death toll that has risen to nearly 70,000, the earthquake has shaken the nation back to life. The Chinese people have rushed to donate blood and money and join the rescue efforts. They have rediscovered their civic responsibility and compassion.

Their grief, shock and confused solidarity recall the hours that followed the Tiananmen massacre 19 years ago today, when the Communist Party sent army tanks into Beijing to crush a pro-democracy movement organized by unarmed, peaceful students.

The protests had been set off by the death of the reform-minded party leader Hu Yaobang. College students had camped out in the square — the symbolic heart of the nation — to demand freedom, democracy and an end to government corruption. There they fell in love, danced to Bob Dylan tapes and discussed Thomas Paine’s “Rights of Man.”

The city had come out to support the protesters: workers, entrepreneurs, writers, petty thieves. After the tanks drove the students from the square in the early hours of June 4, 1989, nearby shop owners turned up with baskets of sneakers to hand out to protesters who’d lost their shoes in the confrontation. As soldiers opened fire in the streets, civilians rushed to the wounded to carry them to the hospital.

But even as doctors were caring for students hurt in the melee, the party was rewriting history. It branded the peaceful democracy movement a “counterrevolutionary riot” and maintained that the brutal crackdown was the only way of restoring order. As leaders of the movement were rounded up and jailed, people who had donated food and drink to the students during their six-week occupation of the square began reporting them to the police.

Realizing that their much-vaunted mandate to rule had been nullified by the massacre, the party focused on economic growth to quell demands for political change. Thanks to its cheap, industrious and non-unionized labor force, China has since become a world economic power, while the Communist Party has become the world’s best friend.

Watched on television screens around the world, the Tiananmen massacre was a defining moment in 20th-century history. Like Budapest in 1956 and Prague in 1968, it has become a global symbol of totalitarian repression. But in China the subject is taboo. Even in the privacy of their homes, parents dare not discuss it with their children. Blinded by fear and bloated by prosperity, they have succumbed to a collective amnesia.

Some might object to recalling calamities of the past while China is struggling to cope with a present disaster. Already the Western news media has turned its attention away from political repression in China and Tibet, out of respect for the dead. When invited to speak at a London human rights event recently as a banned Chinese novelist, I was asked not to say anything negative about my country.

But grief refuses to be channeled. It spills over. In Sichuan, it turns to anger as parents demand to know why 6,898 schools collapsed during the quake while government buildings remained standing. As the nation mourns, it will begin to remember the deaths it has been forbidden to recall: not only the thousands who were slaughtered in 1989, but the tens of millions who died under Mao’s rule during the Anti-Rightist Campaign, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.

The government leaders know that despite their efforts to erase history, the wounds inflicted by past repression are festering. With each anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre it becomes clearer that behind the bravado, the party is as fearful as a deer caught in the headlights.

Last year, Tiananmen Square was patrolled once again by plainclothes policemen, ready to quash any attempts to remember the victims of the massacre. People involved in the democracy movement were removed from the city or placed under house arrest. Three editors of a Chengdu newspaper that carried a tiny advertisement saluting the “mothers of June 4” were fired from their jobs. It turns out that the young clerk who had approved the ad hadn’t grasped the significance of the date. She, like the rest of her generation, had been robbed of her own history.

Still, a few brave individuals continue to speak out and remind the world what happened. In 2004, the poet Shi Tao sent to a Western democracy Web site a government document banning the news media from mentioning the June 4 anniversary. He was arrested and is now serving a 10-year prison sentence. Ding Zilin, the head of the Tiananmen Mothers Group who lost her 17-year-old son in the massacre, will this year defy the authorities and lay a wreath in the flower bed off Chang An Avenue where her son was shot dead.

There is an expression in Chinese that says, “One can only stand up from the place where one fell.” If China is to truly stand up and deserve its powerful position in the international community, it must return to the place where it fell. The regime must reveal the truth about past crackdowns and apologize to the victims and their families; release the hundred or so people still jailed for their connection to the Tiananmen movement, and the tens of thousands of other political prisoners languishing in jails and labor camps. And it must introduce democratic reforms.

The Chinese people have been reminded by the earthquake that lives are not expendable and that deaths cannot go unmourned. Now they have to extend that understanding to the victims of Tiananmen.

Ma Jian is the author, most recently, of the novel “Beijing Coma.” This essay was translated by Flora Drew from the Chinese.

From Dragon to Panda: A New China?

2008-06-04T08:26:00.000+08:00

From Dragon to Panda: a New China?

How Handling of Sichuan Earthquake Softened China's Image and Increased Press Freedom

REPORTERS NOTEBOOK By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, China, June 3, 2008 —

For China, 2008 is supposed to be the best year ever. Eight is a fortuitous number that symbolizes fortune and luck, according to Chinese traditions, but thus far, the Year of the Rat has been anything but lucky.

Beginning with a devastating blizzard, hundreds of thousands of travelers were left stranded at train stations during the Chinese New Year holiday in January.

Weeks later, uprisings in Tibet exploded onto the world stage, igniting protests that overflowed into the international Olympic torch relay.

Just as China was getting back on its feet, disaster struck again when two trains collided on a major route in Shandong Province, killing over 70 people.

Then, on May 12, the Sichuan earthquake killed more than 70,000 people, many of them children.

Amid the overwhelming devastation, a point of light has emerged from the earthquake rubble. Because of the central government's actions in Sichuan, the rest of the world is beginning to see China less as a threatening dragon and more as a strong but compassionate panda.

When Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao picked up his megaphone and consoled the victims of the earthquake, he was heard around the world. Fondly nicknamed "Grandpa Wen," his tearful hugs and extended post-earthquake presence in Sichuan Province was a marked departure from the government's sometimes bunker-mentality approach to disasters.

From immediately dispatching earthquake response teams to allowing foreign journalists to freely report in Sichuan, the central government's relief strategy has helped assuage many of the fears and protests that plagued the Olympic torch relay.

Cognizant that the world was watching, the Chinese response has been markedly more transparent and open than ever before.

'The Whole World Stands Behind China'

Even traditional foes such as Japan and Taiwan, among other friendlier countries, immediately offered help. And China surprised the world by gracefully accepting foreign offers of medical assistance and donations.

The head of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Chen Yunlin, expressed China's appreciation to the Taiwanese people for their help with earthquake relief efforts. He said that Taiwanese generosity demonstrated that "blood is thicker than water & the brotherly affection has set up a new bridge over the Taiwan Straits."

In addition to accepting donations, the government mobilized its resources and made humble requests for tents, clean water and volunteers. The organized fundraising and blood donation efforts projected a mix of national solidarity and compassion rarely felt in China, and never on the national level.

China's attitude today stands in stark contrast to her past. The last time a comparable earthquake shook China, killing over 240,000 in the city of Tangshan in 1976, the government refused humanitarian aid from the United Nations.

In 2008, the central government immediately accepted U.N. assistance.

"Not only is the support and assistance from the international community a form of material aid to China's relief work, it is also a form of spiritual encouragement," said Qin Gang, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing.

During a visit last week, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon declared in Sichuan, "If we work hard, we can overcome this." With Wen at his side, Ban said, "The whole world stands behind you and supports you."

New Freedom of the Press

After the Sichuan earthquake, audiences in China and abroad read and watched news reports that looked remarkably similar. For the first time ever, China seemed to have lifted the opaque curtain and granted journalists foreign and domestic alike an all-access pass to the disaster zones.

"A number of foreign correspondents have expressed appreciation for the access they have had to the disaster area, and to timely information about the calamity," said Foreign Correspondent Club of China President Melinda Liu in a statement. "This is a positive development, considering the challenging circumstances."

What It Means

It is impossible to say if China's newly softened image will last, and for how long.

In the best interests of the Chinese government, the perception of China as a panda-like state would be helpful during a potentially controversial Olympic Games.

China's present openness and humility is promising. But as stories of the earthquake fade from the headlines as they inevitably will, the world's sympathy and charity towards China will wane.

Worries over a rising China will certainly resurface and take back the headlines. But as the world adjusts and reacts to China's rise, perhaps it will remember Grandpa Wen or the sudden surge in press freedom and reconsider its view of China.

China Mourns

2008-05-19T23:12:00.000+08:00

China Wails for Quake Dead

Three Days of Official Mourning Begin for the Thousands Killed in Sichuan Quake

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, May 19, 2008 —

"I've never seen anything like this before," said Wang Yong, as the honking and air horns subsided. "The sound was deafening. I could feel the vibrations."

Wang had been standing on an overpass in Beijing as the sound of thousands of car horns "wailed in grief" this afternoon as the nation paused to remember the victims of the May 12 Sichuan earthquake.

"I hope they can hear us in Sichuan," Wang told ABC News.

Today marks the first of three days of national mourning for the earthquake victims. The official death count stood today at 34,073, according to the government, and may exceed 50,000. At least 29,000 people are missing.

Xinhua, the government news agency, also confirmed today that several fatal mudslides have struck in recent days inside the quake zone, killing at least 200 rescue workers.

On Beijing's Changan Jie, the wide avenue on which Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City are situated, workers flooded out of office buildings onto sidewalks and overpasses to observe a three-minute period of mourning.

Typically noisy construction sites grew quiet as traffic in major arteries came to a halt. Migrant workers lined up along the street with hard hats in hand.

But this moment of silence was hardly silent. At precisely 2:28 p.m., millions of Chinese stood still as car, ship, train and air horns howled, marking exactly one week since the earthquake shook the southwest province of Sichuan.

According to Chinese tradition, memorials on the seventh day after a person's death are especially important to observe. It is believed that the tributes on this day will help provide a better afterlife to the deceased.

"I am so sad about Sichuan but I've be seeing China's solidarity everywhere, and I think that we will get through this tragedy together," said Li Na, an office assistant who works in downtown Beijing.

Pausing for a moment and reviewing the photos she took on her camera phone, Li asked, "I wonder if this is how Americans felt after Sept. 11."

Drivers pressed their horns as others stood silently next to their cars. Long-distance buses and trains across the country stopped to observe and pay their respects.

In southern Yunnan province, buses carrying tourists pulled over and passengers stood along the road with their heads bowed.

At Tiananmen Square in Beijing, thousands filled the plaza and chanted "brave and strong, China!" and "brave and strong, Wenchuan!" after the 180 seconds of silence concluded.

Tourists also stopped to pay tribute.

"It was surreal," said Tim Mutler of Toronto, in reference to national mourning practices. "We knew it was going to happen in advance so we stepped out of our hotel to see." Mutler and his friends arrived in Beijing five days ago to run the Great Wall Marathon.

Three Days of Comprehensive Mourning

Three days of official mourning will be observed in every aspect of Chinese society.

Today, Chinese flags were flown at half-staff while newsstands sold papers printed in black and white only. Special events, including the Olympic torch relay, have been suspended for the duration of the mourning period.

In addition, a moratorium on all public entertainment nationwide has been instituted. Popular karaoke clubs fell silent in Beijing as online gaming sites were required to suspend their services until Thursday.

Shanda, a leading interactive entertainment and media company, announced that in accordance with the government's request, it will reconvene its online gaming after the period of mourning.

The country's most heavily trafficked Web portals such as Sohu and Sina are conveying their respect with black and white home pages, devoid of their usually colorful and animated photos and articles.

Tudou.com, China's most popular video site, posted only earthquake-related videos although other content was still available by search.

Recreational activities are on hold in memory of earthquake victims. Movie theaters in Beijing closed their doors and entertainment cable channels such as HBO were unavailable for viewing in cities across the country, including Shanghai and Chengdu.

"Because there's no entertainment, our Chinese opera performance was canceled," said Mutler, who is visiting Beijing from Canada.

According to China's state-run Xinhua news agency, a mourning period of this scale is the first of its kind for the general public since the death of Chairman Mao Zedong.

As of Sunday evening, $187 million in cash and relief goods had been raised for quake-stricken areas in Sichuan province, according to the China Daily.

To make a donation to earthquake relief funds, please visit http://donate.ifrc.org/

"Today, we are all Sichuan people."

2008-05-15T15:58:00.001+08:00

'Today, We Are All Sichuan People'

China Rushes to Help Its Own

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, May 14, 2008 —

China's Olympic gymnastic team contributed money. So did the national ping pong team. They were joined by thousands of Chinese citizens who answered calls for help on the radio, TV, text messaging and the Internet.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs authorized the Red Cross Society of China and China Charity Federation to receive donations for damaged areas. The Red Cross is coordinating its efforts with Sina.com, one of China's most popular Web portals.

Within less than 36 hours of the earthquake, the Red Cross had received more than $17 million in contributions.

Private companies, universities and nongovernmental organizations have set up relief funds and collection centers to respond to the critical need for supplies and financial support.

On Tuesday, the China Foundation for Human Rights Development urged the public to contribute funds as soon as possible and forwarded $70,000 worth of clothing, tents and other supplies to hard-hit Sichuan.

In the spirit of the fast-approaching Beijing Olympics, the 2008 Chinese national gymnastics team has committed $142,800 to earthquake victims, said Gao Jian, director of the Chinese Gymnastics Administration Center.

Today, China's national table tennis team donated about $143,000 to the earthquake region.

"We've been following closely the latest news about the earthquake, and we are pain[ed] to hear about the extensive damage, injury and loss of lives," said Ding Ning, one of the youngest players on the national team.

"Our team members decided to donate & to show our concern and best wishes for [earthquake victims]. We hope things would get better as soon as possible," Ding said to the Xinhua state news agency.

Individual athletes have made private donations as well. "We were shocked when we heard the news on Monday," Olympic champion Li Xiaopeng told state media.

In Beijing, hot lines and bank accounts have been set up to receive donations from all over China. Radio talk shows hosts and television reporters in Beijing are encouraging people to pitch in as much as they can.

"Please call this number now and help Sichuan stand up again," a co-host said on a pop music channel. "Let's do whatever we can!"

Because credit cards are not yet universally accepted in China, many people are using bank transfers to send money into official earthquake relief accounts.

Beginning on Monday, public announcements have regularly appeared on Chinese Central Television with account numbers and directions for how to make charitable transfers securely.

Baidu, China's most popular search engine, has posted a link on its home page for users to learn more about the quake and donate to the Chinese Red Cross.

Wang Zhenyao, director of disaster relief at China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, expressed appreciation to Chinese donors Tuesday evening.

"We really appreciate their kindness and will deliver their donations in a timely manner to the quake victims."

Chinese Youth Respond With Compassion and Cash

The earthquake has elicited an outpouring of charity from young Chinese throughout the country.

On Tuesday at Beijing University, one of the country's top institutions, candlelight vigils and prayer sessions were held in the evening.

Students folded thousands of paper cranes -- a symbol of peace -- with messages of hope written inside.

Wei Ming Hu, the central lake on campus, glittered with small candlelit boats that students sent afloat to show their solidarity and concern for earthquake victims.

By day, Beijing University student organizations and leaders set out to collect donations on campuses across China. A viral text message declaring, "Today, we are all Sichuan people," spread quickly as students closely followed news developments.

As of this afternoon, Beijing University students had independently raised more than $40,000.

Fundraising via mobile phones has also become popular, especially among university students.

There are special telephone numbers that, when sent a text message, will automatically donate about 29 cents to earthquake relief funds.

At Beijing University, as at many other places in the country, blood drives were organized to help facilitate a rapid medical response for the injured and weak.

"There were so many students who showed up to donate that the blood bank was overwhelmed," said Zhou Taomo, a Beijing University graduate student.

"The response has been amazing. I am very moved by how my classmates have responded. We really believe we can help. There have been many terrible incidents in 2008 but I believe we can overcome them."

How You Can Help

To learn how you can make a contribution to the Sichuan earthquake disaster, please visit www.redcross.org.cn

Sichuan Earthquake News

2008-05-13T13:07:00.001+08:00

It's been a rough year for China. Yesterday a 7.9 earthquake shook Sichuan and created aftershocks felt everywhere from Beijing to Vietnam. Approximately 10,000 were killed. Thankfully everyone I know is safe; however there are thousands who are still trapped and missing.

Stay tuned.

The Rules: No Pics, No Drugs, No Judgments

2008-05-08T15:44:00.000+08:00

The Rules: No Pics, No Drugs, No Judgments
A Peek Inside Beijing's Hottest Gay Club

By JO LING KENT
BEIJING, May 8, 2008 —

Being openly gay in China is one of the country's biggest taboos, but you wouldn't know it stepping into Destination, Beijing's hottest gay club.

Nicknamed "Desperation," this dance club and lounge, with its thumping bass, beautiful people, flowing cocktails and bouncing hydraulic dance floor -- seems at first like a typical weekend hot spot .

But it's far from the usual Chinese nightclub.

While there would be nothing remarkable about Destination in the United States, here the club stands apart. Self-labeled "Beijing's finest bar venue for the alternative crowd," Destination is often the only place in Beijing where young gay men can reveal their true selves.

This is part nine in ABCNews.com's 10-part special series on nightlife around the world. Click here every weekday through May 9, 2008 for the latest story.
And in order for them to feel safe, two basic rules are posted prominently on every wall: no photography, and no drugs.

Emilio Liu, a Chinese undergraduate student in Beijing, says Destination is his place to not only relax and dance, but to find himself.

"I'm still trying to figure it all out," he said on a Friday night at the club. "I'm not sure what I am, but I know I'm not straight. Maybe bi, maybe gay. So I come here to hang out and meet people."

Declining to give his name, a 23-year-old accountant for Pricewaterhouse Coopers comes to Destination every weekend because of its open and comfortable atmosphere. He first checked out the club when he moved from his hometown of Chongqing, an inland city in south central China, to attend college in Beijing.

"Everyone's the same here. Everyone's gay. Sure, we go to mainstream clubs and bars too, but Destination is a more natural setting for us," he said. "And the dancing is great."

Destination has enjoyed relatively unfettered business in Beijing. Its clientele is overwhelmingly male; less than 5 percent of its customers are women.

Out to Friends but Not to Parents
China's gay and lesbian population is, by some unofficial estimates, between 30 million and 50 million. But much of this population stays in the closet.

Many gay and lesbian Chinese say that, more than the government, traditional family values and social conservatism have discouraged them from disclosing their sexual orientation.

"China is more traditional. Parents hope their children will develop normally, so most won't accept homosexuality," the 23-year-old accountant explained over Destination's pumping music.

He recently started his job at Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Beijing and has yet to feel pressure from his parents, who live thousands of miles away in Chongqing.

"If your parents are very modern and understanding, then it's great to come out. But that is not the case. Not saying anything can help everyone avoid feeling unnecessary pain," he said.

"I have one friend who has come out of the closet. To his friends' surprise, his parents have really understood him," he added. "Another friend, though, his parents didn't receive the news well. They can't accept it, or control their reaction. If I don't tell my parents, it's easier."

One of this accountant's friends is a Beijing college student who's even more pragmatic about his sexuality. He also declined to give his name for the interview.

Bouncing to remixes of Madonna and Justin Timberlake, he admitted that he won't be on the dance floor forever. "I'm gay in China, but I also have hopes and plans," he said. "I already have two clothing shops, and I want to open another. I'd like to study abroad after I graduate too.

"But talking about being gay would get in the way. I won't tell my family because they would abandon me," he said. "Plus, I want to work in a government ministry in the future. If I come out, there's no way I could do that. So, later in life, I'll probably get married [to a woman] because it makes things easier."

Queer as Folk Beijing
Homosexuality, especially among men, has a long history in China. Same-sex encounters first appeared among intellectuals and artists in ancient art and classical literature, perhaps most famously in the classical Chinese novel "The Dream of the Red Chamber."

Unlike the persecution of homosexuals in Europe's Middle Ages, homosexuality is widely believed to have been relatively commonplace in China's Song, Ming and Qing dynasties.

The tide turned when the Communist Party founded the People's Republic of China in 1949. Social acceptance of homosexuality dwindled even further, as the cultural revolution severely punished homosexuals with lengthy prison terms and physical abuse.

Today, the future seems to hold progressive possibilities. In 2001, homosexuality was removed from a list of mental illnesses published by the Chinese Psychiatric Association. Hundreds of Web sites and groups have formed online and in the Beijing community, such as the popular Beijing Tongzhi and Beijing La La Bar's online forum.

Xiao Gang, the director and the blogger behind the weekly video podcast series "Queer as Folk Beijing," wants to expand the comfort zone beyond bars and clubs like Destination.

In a lighthearted talk show format, Xiao Gang and his co-hosts invite experts and scholars to investigate various social topics facing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender society. Last week's episode included a scholar's groundbreaking research on male sex workers in China. He hopes to educate a broader audience about the homosexual Chinese community.

Because there's no openly gay Chinese celebrity or role model to look up to yet, Xiao Gang is himself creating opportunities for Chinese people to understand and perhaps someday accept homosexuality.

"Images are powerful. Chinese people don't know what gays, lesbians and bisexuals look like," Xiao Gang explained. "Maybe they seem scary. There are NGOs and hotlines to support these people nowadays, but there is no visual. When you see people for yourself, it's harder to judge them."

To date, "Queer as Folk Beijing" has attracted more than 1 million viewers but relatively little controversy. The podcast is available on YouTube and popular Chinese video sites such as Sina and Tudou. Soon, Xiao Gang will show it on Facebook.

"Sure, people will leave disdainful comments on the video sites, but overall the reaction has been quite positive," Xiao Gang told ABC News.

Despite the fact that he is a gay community leader, Xiao Gang has not come out to his parents. In his eyes, his life's work and his parents' knowledge of his sexuality are not necessarily related. The traditional role of family has deterred him from coming out of the closet.

"I really don't want to make my parents mad for the rest of their lives. Here, family is a big religion," he said. "Most people are out to friends, but not to parents."

As he attempts to correct misconceptions about being gay in China, he says he realizes his parents are an example of a tough reality: While gay Beijing makes informal social progress, acceptance at home and by the government will take much longer.

"Yes, I'm doing ["Queer as Folk Beijing"]. But the thing is, parents in China aren't educated about what being gay is. If someone came out to his parents, they'd not only be mad but would probably say bad things to neighbors and friends. They would spread more incorrect concepts about us," Xiao Gang said.

There have been multiple attempts to pass a same-sex marriage bill in the National People's Congress, but it has failed three times. Recently, there have been reports of police investigations of gay bathhouses and Beijing's Destination and Shanghai's PinkHouse, perceived as "spring cleaning" in preparation for the Olympic Games.

As Chinese society slowly evolves and bends its traditional rules, "Queer as Folk Beijing" and Destination appear to be promising signs of the future for gay Beijing. While the beat goes on, Destination continues to serve as a comfortable haven for gay men in Beijing.

Just don't tell your parents you were here.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Somebody give Stephen Hadley a MAP!

2008-04-17T11:39:00.004+08:00

Count how many times Stephen Hadley, Bush's National Security Advisor, says Nepal instead of Tibet. OMG.

April Fools Joke? The Great Firewall Crumbles! At least for the moment.

2008-04-01T11:56:00.003+08:00

Big news, ladies and gentlemen! Wikipedia and blogspot are unblocked! Someone at the ministry of blockage must have figured out that if the government wants to, they can themselves delete things on Wikipedia to their heart's delight, thus making it safe for their citizens to view.

Last week, BBC News also became available.

Celebrate!

Olympic Protests at Beijing Torch Lighting in Greece...

2008-03-25T00:04:00.001+08:00

Here we go...the beginning of a long string of protests, I'm sure.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/world/25greece.html

Thousands Return to Taiwan to Cast Their Votes

2008-03-24T23:56:00.001+08:00

Overseas Taiwanese Return Home to Vote

With No Absentee Voting, Expats Come From Around the Globe for Election

Taiwan Elections: Ma Wins

2008-03-22T21:08:00.002+08:00

Ma Ying-jeou defeated Frank Hsieh by 17% here in Taiwan. The margin was much wider than expected. Ma dominated throughout the country while Hsieh picked up middle southern areas. At a press conference, President-Elect Ma promised to unite the country, begin working on reestablishing credibility with the United States and begin pursuing direct air links between Taiwan and China after he and Siew are inaugurated on May 20.

Hsieh and Ma spoke on the phone about an hour and a half ago. Ma hoped they could cooperate and perhaps put into motion some of Hsieh's policies with which he agrees. He also talked about uniting and not dividing. Sound familiar? :)

Fun fact: Veep-elect Siew spoke to the massive crowds and warmed them up for the new Prez. When Ma came up to give his victory speech, he was preceded by a half circle bulletproof glass enclosure that rose higher than his head (not used for Siew). It was the podium version of the Pope Mobile. I have never seen Ma, or any TW politician speak behind this. Not great for the photo ops!

Quotes from the press conf and articles coming soon.

From the victory rally,
Jo

Taiwan Elections: Numbers rolling in...

2008-03-22T18:22:00.003+08:00

Hello from the Government Info Office! We're just around the corner from the Hsieh campaign HQ and unfortunately things aren't looking too good for the green party. According to current results, Ma is leading Hsieh by about 17 percentage points, much further ahead than anticipated.

In case you're curious, the Taiwan television news coverage of the results is strikingly similar to the U.S.: full of punditry and play-by-play analysis Although no one seems to have an elaborate touchscreen like CNN, TVBS and others have maps splitting the country into counties and municipalities. Instead of red vs. blue, it's blue (KMT) vs. green (DDP) As of now, Hsieh has won five counties while Ma has secured 20.

Looks like the Horse is going to win this one..

Taiwan Elections: China's Take

2008-03-22T16:23:00.001+08:00

Can't have an election in Taiwan without the Chinese take...check out the official news line below:

TAIPEI, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan residents began voting in Taiwan's leadership election from 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Voting ends at 4 p.m., and results are expected at 9.30 p.m. About 17.3 million people would vote at 14,401 polling stations, said the Taiwan authority.

Frank Hsieh from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and his running mate Su Tseng-chang, will compete for Taiwan's next leadership with Ma Ying-jeou, former Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) party chairman, and Vincent Siew.

Taiwan residents are also voting today in two "referendums" on launching a bid to join the United Nations, one put forward by the DPP and one by the KMT.

Taiwan Elections: From the Ma Tent

2008-03-22T15:44:00.005+08:00

Hello from the Ma Ying-jeou media tent! It's 3:45pm here and for once this week, it's pretty calm. Journalists are assembling next to the stage where Ma will either give a victory or concession speech. Or a "we have to go 'extra innings' speech." The Hsieh and Ma campaigns have been well organized in providing the press with ample work space, equipment and - the most essential of all - a high speed internet connection. Aside from the sweaty fire hazard of a presser yesterday at Ma HQ, press people are generally happy campers.

I wish I had a camera to show you the scene. There are journalists and cameras running amok and laptops as far as the eye can see. They've set up flat screens with a live picture of the crowd (already thickening outside) and the various news networks. It's exciting to see the free press in action.

Just a few more hours and we should have a new Taiwanese president. Emphasis on 'should.' Stay tuned...

Taiwan Elections: Wild Goose Chase!

2008-03-22T12:15:00.002+08:00

It's finally Election Day in Taiwan! I've taken my grandparents to the polls and it seems safe to say that this election will go by without any assassination attempts (see 2004) or violent theatrics. Nonetheless, following the election has been a wild goose chase, with eleventh hour press conferences by both sides, rallies and external attempts to appeal to undecided voters yesterday, not to mention ceaseless questions on how the Chinese reaction to Tibet might sway voters. There are even a few U.S. Congressmen here, like Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, to "support democracy." (Shady/random.)

When I first arrived, I intended to blog daily but internet troubles have left me unable to do so. To get your fix, check out Colum's blog on the Far Eastern Economic Review website here.

Also, check out my article on Tibet and Chinese censorship if you're looking for more diversion.

Taiwan Elections: Tibet Debate Spills Over to Taiwan

2008-03-18T12:04:00.002+08:00

Tibet Debate Spills Over to Taiwan

Closer Ties to China Reassessed After Tibet Violence, Protests

By JO LING KENT

TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 17, 2008 —

Street violence and protests in Tibet have become the focus of the debate in Taiwan's heavily contested presidential elections.

Taiwan's uncensored media has interrupted its ceaseless coverage of the presidential race with reports from Tibet's capital, Lhasa, where violence has erupted on the streets. Parties of all political persuasions have come to a rare consensus; the Chinese government's actions in Tibet are unacceptable.

As Taiwan reacts to China's immediate and stern response to the Tibetan protestors, Ma Ying-jeou, the Nationalist Party candidate who holds a lead over Democratic Progressive Party candidate Frank Hsieh, has been asked to defend his pro-China position.

At a news conference Monday, Ma drew a clear distinction, attempting to assure the electorate that a similar scenario would not occur in Taiwan.

"Taiwan is a sovereign nation. To draw an analogy between Tibet and Taiwan is an incorrect one. Tibet is under Chinese rule, Taiwan is not."

China's government, however, claims Taiwan as its territory.

Although China aims to solve the "Taiwan problem" peacefully, the Chinese government has never ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan back under the mainland's control. Taiwan and China have been ruled separately since the nationalists fled to Taiwan following their defeat in the 1949 civil war against the communists.

Hsieh and the Democratic Progressive Party, the current ruling party in Taiwan, prefer to keep their distance from the mainland.

Monday, the party stated that the island could suffer the same fate as Tibet if Taiwan were to become too close to the Chinese government.

Ma responded, "Frank Hsieh made a mistake in drawing such an analogy."

Gerard Dann, a 37-year-old teacher and Democratic Progressive Party supporter from Taipei, believes that the Chinese action in Tibet could translate into a greater threat against Taiwan.

When asked if China might handle Taiwan as it has handled Tibet, Dann said, "Of course. I don't think they would treat Taiwan any differently."

"I think that it is very possible that the situation that has happened in Tibet might happen in Taiwan tomorrow," Dann continued.

When asked about Tibet and Taiwan, Shieh Jhy-wey, head of Taiwan's Government Information Office, told reporters in Taipei this week, "[Taiwan has] gone in the direction of democracy and of human rights."

"We are choosing our own president."

Taiwan's presidential elections will be held March 22.

Taiwan Elections: Up Close & Personal with Ma

2008-03-17T18:33:00.004+08:00

Leading candidate Ma Ying-jeou and veep candidate Vincent Siew at a news conference this morning:

Taiwan Elections: Campaigns Heat Up

2008-03-17T13:17:00.002+08:00

Election Fever in Taiwan

Taiwan Heats Up for a Dramatic Election, With Chinese Relations at Stake

By JO LING KENT

BEIJING, March 12, 2008 —

Amid final preparations for the Beijing Olympics and the dramatic U.S. presidential race, China's neighbor, Taiwan, is gearing up for its own national elections.

Millions of Taiwanese will go to the polls on March 22 to choose a new president and help decide if Taiwan will try its luck against China in the United Nations.

Election day has been deemed so important that the national government has waived highway toll fees.

Kuomintang (Nationalist) Party candidate Ma Ying-jeou and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Frank Hsieh will go head-to-head in an election that could define Taiwan's future.

Election results will significantly influence Taiwan's relationship with China, which views the island as a renegade province.

Ma, who has promised to relax Taiwan-China investment rules and create a "cross-strait common market" with China, leads Hsieh with 49 percent of the vote in the Chinese-language China Times poll.

Hsieh, a candidate who promotes greater Taiwanese independence, trails with 22 percent.

Another poll released by the Southern Taiwan Society, a pro-independence group, showed that Ma was supported by 41 percent of respondents, while 38 percent chose Hsieh.

But opinion poll numbers as American voters have recently realized are not always reliable.

Taiwan is known for its colorful campaigns and volatile politics. In the 2004 election, an 11th-hour assassination attempt on then-DPP candidate Chen Shui-bian incited days of protests and calls for a recount. Chen eventually won the race by a razor-thin margin.

This year is no exception. The fiercely competitive presidential race is doubling as a contest of Taiwanese identity. Hsieh contends that Ma is an "outsider" who is not truly committed to Taiwan.

Ma, a former mayor of Taipei who was born in Hong Kong and raised in Taiwan, has been criticized by the Hsieh campaign for holding a U.S. Green Card, or permanent residency, after he completed his law degree at Harvard.

Hsieh, former premier and former mayor of Taiwan's second largest city, has been lambasted for his personal attacks on Ma and his pro-Taiwan, or "independence," policies that some claim will further slow down Taiwan's fragile domestic economy.

As of late, however, Hsieh has been tempering his anti-China stance by discussing increased Chinese investment in Taiwan. In recent weeks, Hsieh has also mentioned potentially lifting limits on Taiwanese investment in Mainland China.

Hsieh's campaign policy shift appears to aim to satisfy a growing national trend to consider a relationship with China.

In January, the DPP suffered a dramatic defeat in the legislative elections. The DPP won only 27 seats in the 113-member body, while the KMT gained a large majority with 81 seats. The results appeared to be an adverse reaction to Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian who, like Hsieh, has favored a pro-Taiwan agenda.

The UN Referendum

The Taiwanese presidential contest will be combined with a referendum on whether the island should attempt to join the United Nations under the name "Taiwan," instead of its formal UN membership name, "Republic of China." Beijing and the United States both regard this vote as a provocative move.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently reiterated the U.S. position against Taiwan's referendum.

"Taiwan is a democratic entity that will have to make its own decisions but I think we have been very clear that we think that this referendum is not going to help anyone and in fact it shouldn't be held," Rice told reporters when she visited Beijing two weeks ago.

China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi acknowledged Washington's opposition to Taiwan's UN referendum plans, calling the Taiwan question "the biggest concern of China."

Taiwan does not have a seat at the UN. The island is formally recognized by 23 countries, compared with the 170 that recognize China.

Taiwan's bid for recognition is unlikely to pass in the UN, even if it wins favor among Taiwanese voters.

Taiwan's election results are crucial, especially with respect to relations with China and the United States. On March 22, the Taiwanese will not be the only ones waiting to see who their next president will be.

Historical

2008-02-26T17:21:00.003+08:00

On TV, I'm watching the New York Philharmonic play Dvorak in Pyongyang. They make up the largest delegation of Americans in North Korea since the Korean War. This feels very historic.

I'm disappointed that Kim Jong-Il has not yet made a cameo.

Hu really matters

2008-02-09T13:58:00.000+08:00

From the LA Times and the Guardian...

Greatest show on Earth

Right plot, great cast -- the White House run has the whole world watching.

By Timothy Garton Ash
February 7, 2008

American presidential elections have become the political equivalent of soccer's World Cup. Half the planet watches on television. Everyone recognizes the star players, and most know the rules of the game. Strike up a conversation with a stranger in any bar in any city on any continent and you can be fairly sure the talk will turn to "who are you backing, Hillary or Obama?"

Probably we Europeans don't know the rules of the American game as well as we think, but it's amazing what knowledge of U.S. politics British reporters take for granted. This morning, I heard a BBC radio correspondent say, "Remember, of course, that Ohio is a swing state in American elections."

Of course. There is no other foreign story for which an assumption like this could be made. It's as if half the world lives inside the Beltway. (That's the ring road round Washington -- I don't need to explain.)

Send us an e-mail, cried another British radio presenter, and tell us who you backed. Though Super Tuesday is only the electoral equivalent of a soccer quarterfinal, we were all captivated. "It was the biggest day so far in the race for the most powerful job in the world," gushed a presenter on a pop music station.

There's a rational element to this fascination: It matters enormously to all of us who the next president of the United States will be, especially after two terms of George W. Bush making such a hash of it. But actually, who succeeds President Hu Jintao of China or Vladimir V. Putin of Russia will be pretty important for us too. Yet no one sends text-messages or e-mails to their friends saying, "Who are you backing, Xi or Li?" Most of them don't even know who's Hu.

People are drawn irresistibly to the American presidential race because it's like an exciting horse race or a well-made soap opera -- precisely the qualities that the political institutions of the European Union most spectacularly lack.

As with "Desperate Housewives" or HBO's mesmerizing "The Wire," the reality show we call "The American Election" has -- this time particularly -- a cast of strong, contrasting, remarkable characters: Hillary, Obama, McCain, the egregious Mitt and the folksy Huckabee. (As in all good soap operas, one name only is required for most of the characters.)

Moreover, the heart of the competition is not between contrasting policies, ideologies or visions. For now, at least, these primaries are mainly about individual characters selling versions of themselves -- and telling stories about themselves and America. Obama's Super Tuesday night speech quite literally told a story, almost a biblical narrative, about change spreading across the land. About how "what began as a whisper in Springfield soon carried across the cornfields of Iowa, where farmers and factory workers, students and seniors stood up in numbers we have never seen before." And how, yea verily, their voices "echoed from the hills of New Hampshire to the deserts of Nevada, where teachers and cooks and kitchen workers stood up to say that maybe Washington doesn't have to be run by lobbyists anymore."

Stirring stuff. But there's another way to tell the same story. It would go something like this: "What began as a whisper on YouTube soon carried across the tall sheets of the New York Times. Their voices echoed on the soaring satellites of CNN, ABC and the BBC, where the anchors and producers and newsroom workers stood up to say that the momentum for Obama is now The Story."

Out of all this, a triumphant narrative is eventually born. Sometimes, the politician manages to impose his or her narrative on the media. (McCain is doing well at that of late.) Sometimes, the media imposes a narrative on the candidate. ("Giuliani has blown it" -- and so he had.) But usually it's an interaction, a constant re-blending of the two, and the same narrative is told and retold almost instantaneously across the planet. For now, this is the world's bedtime story: "Once upon a time, there was a young man called Barack ..."

But along the way, and in the end, there are the voters. Ultimately, they choose. For all the framing, spinning and lobbying, for all the polling and punditry, nobody knows who will win until the votes are counted. That's the soft power of democracy.

It's a real contest, like a soccer match. It's never over until it's over. No wonder China's Central Committee can't compete. Get up there on the hustings, comrades Xi and Li, tell us your story -- and we'll all be watching.

The rest of us, non-Americans, obviously don't have a vote. Our stated preference makes little more difference to the result than it does to say you're backing Brazil to win the World Cup. For us, this is, so to speak, participation without representation.

But suppose we could vote in a distant contest? Suppose the election were not for another country's president but for the leadership of the United Nations, the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund? There's a striking contrast, isn't there, between this passionate global popular involvement in the election for a single nation's government and the almost total lack, in any nation, of any popular involvement at all in the shaping of global governance? Now that would be the day.

Timothy Garton Ash, a contributing editor to Opinion, is professor of European studies at Oxford University and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford.

Gyoza Crisis + Spice Girls Tragedy

2008-02-03T17:29:00.001+08:00

Just when China-Japan relations were starting to look up (ok maybe not up but at least forward and not down), Chinese pesticide-tainted dumplings take 175 Japanese down.

By the way, happy Chinese new year! While you're wrapped up with two of America's greatest traditions, Super Bowl and Super Tuesday, I'm happily surfing free wifi in the Hong Kong airport, overlooking a bustling international terminal full of presumably happy people on their way to celebrate Spring Festival. These jet setters are definitely loads happier than the poor folks stuck in the Chinese Blizzard of 2008. For nearly all migrant workers, including those in The Bird's Nest short film (see a previous post), the lunar new year holiday is the only time for them to go home and spend time with their families.

And apparently, the worst of the weather disaster has yet to come.

If you'd like to help those in need during this harsh weather, visit Half the Sky. They are raising money for an emergency fund to help feed and provide shelter for their orphans and caregivers throughout central China.

On a lighter note, the Spice Girls have ditched their plans to perform in China, crushing the hearts of 1.3 billion. This by all means is terrible news for yours truly.

China's investment in Rio Tinto is apparently the country's biggest foreign investment ever!

Ok time to catch my flight to the renegade province. Happy Year of the Rat and thanks for reading.

Jo

A Train in the Neck

2008-01-30T09:55:00.000+08:00

"It takes a lot to bring a country in perpetual motion like China to the brink of a grinding halt, but some of the worst weather for half a century is proving more than the authorities here can deal with. And the weather has arrived a week ahead of the biggest holiday of the year, when hundreds of millions of people travel home to be with their families."

Check out what the train stations and rail lines across China look like: ABC News video here.

Also, there is an excellent piece about the middle class in the Wall Street Journal today, comparing Beijing and New York. I've pasted it below. (Shout out to Liz!)

Pondering 'Middle Class' in America
By Li Yuan
January 29, 2008

Note to readers: The Chinese version of this column is available here.

A friend of mine recently complained that she can't afford a three-bedroom apartment near her daughter's school in Beijing, even though she and her husband take home about 300,000 yuan a year ($41,446) and have done well in the stock market. An apartment in a nice neighborhood easily costs three to four million yuan, or $417,000 to $555,000.

"But everyone in the U.S. knows that China's middle class is buying houses and cars," I said. Her response was laughter: "Me? Middle class?"

Several New Yorkers discuss the definition of wealth by today's standards, and their perceptions of the middle class.

Middle class is a new concept in China. Thirty years ago everyone was poor, and the Chinese government still avoids the term -- the National Bureau of Statistics uses the term "middle-income family" to describe households with annual income between 60,000 and 500,000 yuan, or $8,300 to $69,420. (As a socialist country, we're not supposed to have classes.)

On Chinese online forums, people debate what makes one middle class, considering everything from income level and profession to educational background. Yet even well-off Chinese don't want to be called middle class. To them, the term suggests a lifestyle with a big house, a nice car and overseas trips – the kind of lifestyle many Chinese see in Hollywood movies and mistake for the way ordinary Americans live.

That's not how most middle-class Americans live their lives. But it raises a question: How is "middle class" defined in this country, anyway?

Just as Chinese are debating what makes one middle class, there's no consensus definition of the term in the U.S. either. A lot of the time, people seem to use it to refer to the majority of American society. This is partly because Americans believe in equality: Being middle class is an important part of the American dream, so many people are eager to claim middle-class status. This includes both lower-income individuals eager to claim the status and very wealthy individuals determined to live modestly. The most-famous example is probably Warren Buffett: The third-wealthiest person in the world, he still lives in the same house he bought decades ago and eats at the same Omaha, Neb., restaurant he's frequented for years.

A 2007 report called "Who Are the 'Middle Class'?" by the Congressional Research Service warns that "no attempt to identify the middle class in the income distribution can be expected to yield a precise answer," quoting survey numbers of middle-class household that yielded incomes from $20,000 to $250,000.

The report concludes: "Whatever else they may have in common, those who constitute the middle class may have, more or less, similar sentiments regarding their position in the income distribution."

This conclusion applies to China's middle class as well, particularly when the cost of living in different places is considered. My friend in Beijing would be able to lead a comfortable lifestyle in many smaller cities, but her money doesn't go nearly as far in Beijing. Housing prices have doubled and even tripled in major Chinese cities in the past few years -- 36 out of the 100 wealthiest Chinese on Forbes 2007 list are real-estate developers.

I can commiserate with my friend, because I'm a New Yorker (Except for the 10 months I spent in Washington, D.C. as a graduate student, I've spent almost all my time in New York since I arrived in the U.S. in 2002.).

The consensus of brokers and home owners I interviewed is that you need at least $200,000 to have a middle-class life style in New York City. Glenn Gray, a retired technology consultant, says that when he was young, a million dollars was a lot of money.

"Today, a millionaire is not a very, very rich person any more," he says.

Mr. Gray is selling his one-bedroom duplex in midtown Manhattan for $1 million. If that sounds like a lot, it isn't: According to Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate, the average sales price of a one-bedroom Manhattan apartment was more than $1.4 million in the last quarter of 2007, while the median price was $850,000.

Renters' situation isn't a lot better. According to Citi Habitat, the average rental price for a one-bedroom Manhattan apartment in the last quarter of 2007 was $2,592. (That excludes apartments subject to rent control.) Such high prices are why many of my colleagues and friends either have to share with roommates in Manhattan or move to more-affordable Brooklyn.

After moving back to New York from Washington, D.C. in 2004, I couldn't find a Manhattan apartment as affordable as Columbia housing had been during my first year in New York. So I moved into a studio apartment (rent-controlled!) by myself in Park Slope, a Brooklyn neighborhood that has become a refuge (although an increasingly expensive one) for writers and artists priced out of the Manhattan real-estate market. Even though I'm unhappy that my apartment doesn't get much sunlight and I need to travel to Manhattan on weekends to meet with friends, I also know that I don't want to spend so much of my money on rent that I can't go out or take a trip.

But middle-class New Yorkers also run the risk of forgetting that New York City isn't your average U.S. city. For $60,000 -- the average salary in New York City, if you exclude Wall Street -- you can have a comfortable lifestyle in most parts of the country. The median home price was $288,278 in Dallas and $322,210 in Atlanta in September 2006, according to Coldwell Banker Home Price Index Study. And the cost of living in Manhattan is more than twice as the average of top 20 U.S. metropolitan areas, according to a 2007 index released by Council for Community and Economic Research.

The cost of living is much higher in Beijing and Shanghai than in most Chinese cities, yet millions of Chinese have moved to those places for job opportunities and the excitement of city life. So it is here: People like me would rather live in New York City than most anywhere else.

But it strikes me that what's happening in Manhattan epitomizes the growing income disparity and decline of a true middle class in the U.S. An increasing number of middle-class Americans can't afford health care and some have become working poor, with their salaries not enough to pay bills. This is happening when Wall Street firms are paying record bonuses year after year ($23.9 billion in 2006 and $20.5 billion in 2005) and the wealthiest 1.5% of American households – those with an annual income of $250,000 – are becoming increasingly wealthier.

When I first arrived in the U.S. in 2002 to attend Columbia University's journalism school, I was taken aback by my classmates' affluent backgrounds. Besides me and a girl from Louisiana, 13 out of 15 classmates in my Reporting and Writing One class had graduated from private colleges. Their parents were either lawyers, doctors or executives in big companies. When the ethics professor asked the students in my year what images they projected to their interviewees and how it would affect their reporting, a lot of them identified themselves as upper middle class, and many of them used the term "WASP."

At the time, I was writing a column for a Chinese newspaper, and I told my Chinese readers that "Americans like to believe that everyone is equal in their society racially and class-wise. In fact, white people are reluctant to talk about race for fear that they will be labeled as racist. But at least they have been talking about it in the past 50 years or so. Now I think they should talk about class. They've been avoiding this topic for over 200 years."

Some Americans think their country has become a winner-take-all society. I wonder how they would feel if they were middle class in China, where income disparities are even bigger and the middle class doesn't have much of a safety net to fall back on. I wonder when China's middle class will have a voice in policy-making, and if they will have any way to ensure that economic benefits are more evenly spread. Maybe we should spend more time discussing these issues instead of focusing on the exact income level that makes one middle class.
Write to Li Yuan at li.yuan@wsj.com.

URL for this article:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120154059871122493.html

The Bird's Nest

2008-01-24T13:51:00.000+08:00

Jesse and I shot this film inside the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, where the Olympics will be held this summer. Check it out!

If you like it, please vote for us on Current TV (Al Gore's channel in the US) http://current.com/items/88822169_the_bird_s_nest The more votes we get, the higher our chance to get it on the air. Click on "I like it" in the top left corner to help us out.

It's Over!

2008-01-15T15:12:00.000+08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, the day has finally come! I have finished the semester! Over 80 pages of English and Chinese essays and an exam later, I'm back to writing (for fun), blogging, obsessively reading the news and planning more jaunts around East Asia.

Being gay in Beijing (TIME)

Looser gun control for hunting park in China?? (Reuters)

Election excitement in Taiwan

China vs. The Plastic Bag

2008-01-13T13:48:00.000+08:00

China is finally figuring out what much of its own southwest Yunnan Province started practicing years ago- a ban on plastic bags.

Out with finals and the flu

2008-01-09T19:51:00.000+08:00

Hello from Beijing! I've been out of commission with term papers and the flu so here's an interesting distraction about (what else?) Beijing's pollution, written by my friend Steve:

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Beijing's Sky Blues

By STEVEN Q. ANDREWS
January 9, 2008

BEIJING -- Blue skies are here again in Beijing, just in time for the Olympics -- or are they? Last week the Chinese government rolled out new statistics claiming that air quality has dramatically improved between 1998 and last year. But a closer look at the data and changes in collection methods casts doubt on the government's sunny claims -- and raises serious questions about Beijing's commitment to a green Olympics.

Through a haze darkly.

The government reports daily pollution levels on the Internet, through the State Environmental Protection Agency and Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau Web sites. These agencies collect data from monitoring stations around the city and calculate an Air Pollution Index (API) indicating the potential harm to human health, with a range of 1-500. An API of 100 or less is a "blue sky" day. Annual targets for the number of "Blue Sky" days are set for Beijing and other major cities in China. On Jan. 1, the government announced "blue sky" days had improved to 246 last year, up from 100 in 1998. The news was widely reported inside and outside of China.

What wasn't reported, though, was a change in collection methods. The Beijing API is an average of data from selected monitoring stations. From 1998 to 2005, the same seven stations -- located in the city center -- were used to measure air quality. These stations monitored areas with different characteristics, including high traffic areas, plus residential, commercial and industrial districts. In 2006, however, just as international scrutiny on China's air quality was increasing, two stations monitoring traffic were dropped from the city API calculations, while three additional stations in less polluted areas were added.

Calculating the average daily Beijing API values for 2006 and 2007 using data from the original monitoring stations changes the outcome considerably; in fact, 38 of Beijing's 241 so-called "blue sky" days in 2006 would not have qualified as "blue sky" under the old methodology. The number is even less for 2007: 55 fewer days would have attained the "blue sky" standard, out of 246 reported "blue sky" days. That translates into fewer "blue sky" days as a whole than in 2002 (which had 203 reported "blue sky" days), immediately after Beijing was awarded the Olympics, and casts grave doubt on China's reported five straight years of continuous air quality improvement.

The government also substituted in less stringent measures of pollution. Beginning in June 2000, measurements of nitrogen dioxide were substituted into the air quality calculations in place of measurements of nitrogen oxides. The new standard for nitrogen dioxide was much less stringent than the old standard for nitrogen oxides, which were the worst pollutant (in terms of number of weeks exceeding air quality standards) before 2000. Since then, not a single day has exceeded the standard, thanks to the new, more easily attainable criteria. Although a lack of daily data during this time period prevents a reworking of "blue sky" days based on these measures, the reported annual average concentration of neither nitrogen dioxide nor particulates improved between 1998 and 2002. Annual average pollution levels are one of the most commonly used scientific measurements of air quality.

Even if one uses the provided pollution statistics, the numbers don't stack up. The likelihood of an API just below (API 96-100) or just above (API 101-105) the "blue sky" boundary should be approximately equal. But China's results don't correspond to that statistical rule. In 2001, Beijing had 34 days where measures for fine particulate, airborne particles of 10 micrometers or less (PM10), were near the blue sky boundary, and approximately half were reported as "blue sky" days. In 2006, 49 days had fine particulate values equivalent to an API between 96 and 105, and 98% of those were reported as "blue sky" days. Reported data for 2007 indicates a similar bias near the "blue sky" boundary.

Beyond "blue sky" reporting, the 2006 change in the air quality monitoring network also has resulted in misleading improvements in reported annual pollutant concentrations. In 2007, the average daily fine particulate concentrations were significantly lower than would have been reported if the stations in traffic areas continued to be used. This "improvement" equals nearly 10% of the average daily fine particulate level, and is far larger than the minor improvement reported in fine particulate concentrations between 2002 and 2006. For nitrogen dioxide, one of the primary components of smog, the impact of not using monitoring stations in traffic areas is likely much greater.

The health and economic impacts of air pollution in Beijing are staggering. Recent research by Peking University environmental science professors calculated the cost of particulate pollution on human health in the city for 2002 alone at 25,000 deaths and 7.2% of city GDP. In 2006, of the 84 major cities in China reported by the State Environmental Protection Agency, Beijing had the fewest number of days attaining the national air quality standard -- and in 2007, the air quality was even worse. Transparency in the public reporting of air quality is essential not only for ensuring healthful air quality during the Olympics, but also for the government to start legitimately tackling this pressing environmental crisis.

Mr. Andrews is an independent environmental consultant based in Washington, D.C. He was a 2006 Princeton in Asia fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Beijing.

URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119983312470175979.html

Iowa Diversion 2: Coal for Kids

2008-01-04T11:18:00.000+08:00

Take a break from inhaling the (great) news from Iowa and check out my latest for ABC News:

For Chinese orphans, coal is a life saver

Iowa Diversion: OMG Chinese Yuan rises to new heights against USD, Wife Accuses Hubby of Affair on Ntl TV

2008-01-03T18:11:00.000+08:00

Not to run a Drudge-like headline (or interrupt your Iowa Caucus web surfing) but OMG is the first thing that went through my head when I opened the China Daily this morning. I was innocently sipping my soy milk and working on a story when I saw...

Yuan rises to 7.2775 against dollar

In 2008, the Yuan is supposed to move towards 6.57, according to Phoenix TV.

Wow. Good thing my (small) salary is paid in RMB.

In juicier news...

Yesterday was a big day for CCTV 5. The channel was relaunching itself as The Olympics Channel. Along with the fanfare came a big, whopping surprise. Hu Ziwei, the wife of the host - Zhang Bin, sports news department head and popular host - found her way onto the stage, stole the microphone and accused her husband of having an affair (YouTube/Tudou).

For such an drama-tastic event, Hu looked relatively calm and collected. Maybe it's because she's a TV host herself over at Beijing Television? And is anyone else confused by Mr. Hubby's total complacency about the entire episode? That's weirder than a blue sky day in Beijing!

Oh yes, can't forget, while Hu Ziwei had the floor, she also bad-mouthed the '08 Olympics AND China. Is this an indication of what's to come? If the CCTV can't control even its own people, maybe we're actually going to have the human rights Olympics. More here.

In other news...

Chinese people spent 2007 searching for money, according to Google. "Money" was the most popular search term last year. Maybe Chinese journalism students spend more time Googling "money" than worrying about censorship.

China's rapid growth is creating some growing pains, especially for local merchants. (LA Times)

So, maybe Tsinghua University grads - who of all Chinese grads pull in the highest average salary after graduation - are the lone happy campers this week.

NoKo picks the best time to skip out on de-nuking deadline.

That's it for now. More coming soon!

I got 180 problems, but a girl ain't one...

2008-01-02T10:00:00.001+08:00

According to the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC), there were 180 reports of interference in reporters' work on the ground in 2007.

Paris Hilton isn't the only one with a sex tape... now the Malaysian health minister (that's right, health!) has one too. And no, it wasn't about the merits of safe sex. The tape caused such a stir he has retired from his day job, presumably to put out fires full time.

Must read: An insightful look into gender inequalities, Rural Women magazine and its founder, Xie Lihua. Check it out (and learn about an org that I worked with a bit for my Fbright.) Thanks to everyone who sent me this over.

Xinhua outlines China's major issues in 2008.

Unrelated Blog Swooning

2008-01-01T20:02:00.001+08:00

I love Andrew Romano's Stumper blog at Newsweek. If you're addicted to Iowa during election season or Obama's dashing wittiness, settle into this spot in cyberspace.

Please Make Joint Efforts to Advance the Lofty Cause of Peace and Development for Mankind.

2008-01-01T19:56:00.000+08:00

Did anyone actually catch that between the fireworks, chugging of champagne and confusion over if there are 365 or 366 days in 2008? In case you missed it, Hu cares.

Goodbye 2007, Hello 2008!

2007-12-31T15:12:00.000+08:00

Angkor, Cambodia (Summer 2007)

On Jan 1, 2007, a Chinese fortune teller (who happened to be a friend of my mom.....) "read my numbers" in the Twin Cities told me, "2007 will be a bad year for you. You should watch out."

Although I'm no believer in numbers, tarot cards or magic, his statement floated in the back of my mind all year.

364 days later, it's time to assess. Yes, 2007 was markedly harder than others. Parkinson's presented itself at the family dinner table. The world lost some wonderful people, specifically Sarah Kent Eckhoff and Owen Gleason, two important people in my life who took their final bows much too early. They will be missed forever.

2007 was also a year of seemingly endless adventure. China became hotter than hot, the US dollar did the unthinkable (sinking below the value of its Canadian counterpart) and some of my favorite people came to check out Beijing (Mom, Jonathan, John T, Noorain, and many other lovelies). Some were long times in the coming. Others were totally spontaneous.

The Year of the Golden Pig was also the year of international gastro-intrigue. I ate my way through Macau, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the warm and fuzzy United States, not to mention a bunch of Chinese provinces with friends, new and old. I took every potential type of transportation possible, from electric trolley to elephant to the world's longest escalator.

I went to my first wedding for my friends! Beijing pollution hit new highs. (Maybe in Aug 2008 it'll hit all time lows.) I was bit by ten leaches in the Laos rainforest while holding a bear cub.

Chapters closed, doors opened, new friends appeared and the news (or the world's gossip rag, as my friend says) was an endless adventure to follow and report upon.

An infinite number of other brilliant and not-so-brilliant events unfolded in '007 but for your sake, I'll stop the infotainment here.

2008 has been so eagerly anticipated by Beijingers, it's hard to believe it begins tomorrow. From the edge of 2007, I'm peeking around the corner and can only say for sure that it should be the Year of the Rat, the Year of Beijing+London (come visit!), the Year of Beijing's Enormous Olympics and hopefully a Year of Plenty-and-Peace.

From Beijing to your web browser, thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

Let the Games begin,
Jo Ling

Mo' money mo' problems?

2007-12-29T16:32:00.000+08:00

The Chinese Yuan (RMB) hits all-time high against the dollar since it was unpegged in 2005.

Beijing revs up security for the Olympics.

Japanese PM Fukuda is charming his way all over Beijing this week.

No 2012 - HK to democratically elect leaders in 2017.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is saved! Kunming provincial government ditches plans to dig Yunnan/Yangtze River dam.

It wasn't just me.

2007-12-28T13:20:00.000+08:00

Beijing air pollution 'as bad as it can get,' official says

18 Hours Ago

BEIJING (AFP) — Beijingers were warned to stay indoors on Thursday as pollution levels across the capital hit the top of the scale, despite repeated assurances by the government that air quality was improving.

"This is as bad as it can get," a spokeswoman for the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau told AFP.

"Level five is the worst level of air pollution. This is as bad as it has been all year."

According to the bureau's website, 15 out of the 16 pollution monitoring stations in urban Beijing registered a "five" for air quality rating.

The main pollutant was suspended particulate matter, which is usually attributed to coal burning and automotive exhaust.

"Old people and young children should reduce outdoor activities and protect their health," the spokeswoman said.

The Beijing Evening News warned residents not to do their morning exercises on Friday as pollution levels were likely to linger over the capital until a cold front moved in and blew some of the bad air away later in the day.

A lack of wind in the capital over recent days has led to a heavy cover of smog trapping in the pollutants, the paper said.

By nightfall, the pollution was still horrendously thick.

In the run up to the 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing has vowed to clean up its air and this year set a goal of 245 "blue sky days," or days with only light pollution.

As of Thursday, the city needed one more day to reach the annual goal, the bureau said. But official "blue sky days" are often hazy affairs with heavy pollution.

Beijing's air quality is routinely rated among the worst in the world by international agencies such as the United Nations and the World Bank, with rampant coal burning, regular dust storms and a growing number of cars cited as the main reasons.

The head of the government's information office, Cai Wu, told reporters on Thursday that Beijing's environment was improving and they should have "full confidence" that the Olympics would be pollution free.

Holiday Update

2007-12-27T14:53:00.000+08:00

Lots going on in Beijing this holiday season.

An egg? A teardrop? A pearl? A ping-pong ball? The National Center for the Performing Arts opens. I'll report back with a full review after the Jan 5 Le Corsaire by the Russian Kirov Ballet.

China's elite go back to school and get some values by Maureen Fan at Newsweek.

China and India complete first joint military exercises.

We've got an infamous underground city, crowded underground malls and frequented underground churches.

China is determined to fight doping and send a clean team to the '08 Olympics.

Season's Greetings from the North Korean border!

2007-12-27T10:39:00.001+08:00

December 25, 2007

If Christmas couldn't be spent in Minnetonka, it may as well have been celebrated here: the China-North Korean border along the Yalu River in Dangdong, China. The incomplete bridge on the left is evidently the one that the US Airforce "accidentally bombed" during the Korean War, according to the introduction at the site. The other side is North Korea. Looks festive, right? It was desolate, especially compared to the bustle and skyscrapers of Dandong.

More photos coming soon. Happy New Year!

Rice University junior missing

2007-12-26T22:41:00.000+08:00

Terrible holiday news: A Rice junior from Hanszen College has been missing since December 14.

Big Things in Pretty Boxes

2007-12-22T18:29:00.000+08:00

Santa delivers China's first domestically-built airplane just in time for Christmas Eve.

Secretary Rice sends Taiwan a few harsh words for the holidays.

Another wrist slap: Yahoo gets in trouble and this time, not even for their own information. Check out why 2.6 billion ears might be disappointed in 2008.

Wang Kar-Wai releases his first English film in the mainland, My Blueberry Nights.

Merry Christmas from Beijing!

2007-12-21T16:23:00.000+08:00

Unfortunately I won't make it home this year for Christmas but every year around this time in China, things get a little more festive.

Merry Christmas from Beijing and see you all in 2008!
Jo :)

This Week's Surprises: Bible Tops China's Best Sellers, Shanghai adds to its skyline

2007-12-18T22:03:00.000+08:00

A Christmas surprise! Bible tops China's best seller list, written by fellow Beijinger Austin Ramzy at TIME.

Ever wonder why there are so many waitstaff at every restaurant in Beijing? Or where these young people come from? Get the inside scoop here. A must read.

China plans to protect its dialects by surveying them. Good idea because the population is aging fast.

Central government warns against Taiwan UN referendum for the umpteenth time. "The 1.3 billion Chinese people will never swallow the bitter fruit of 'Taiwan independence.'"

The NYTimes continues their excellent coverage of China's pollution: This week, David Barboza exposes the slimy reality of fish farming in Fuqing. Over on the Tibetan Plateau, the Mingyong Glacier is melting fast, another sign of major climate change issues China must grapple with starting... yesterday.

Architects rejoice: Shanghai reveals the National Pavilion for the 2010 World Expo. Check out the Oriental Crown, which aims to convey Chinese culture and "wisdom."

South Koreans will elect a new president later this week. Lee Myung-bak is expected to sweep. This guy has big plans for South Korea.

Bush isn't the only man putting pen to paper this season...

2007-12-18T21:55:00.000+08:00

Steven Spielberg writes Hu Jintao a letter: please do something about Darfur. This is a few days old now.. but check out thoughts on this by Simon Elegant at the TIME Blog.

We are Ready!

2007-12-16T15:30:00.000+08:00

If Athens had a pre-Olympic theme song, it'd probably would have been "I Will Survive." These days, no one can stop talking about the Beijing Olympics. And now people just can't stop singing about it!

"We are Ready!" The Pre-Olympic Theme Song

Yes...a pre-Olympic theme song. I wonder what the post-Olympic song will be... we are finished?

And I'm back. China wins Miss World, China Development Brief update, and much much more...

2007-12-07T09:24:00.001+08:00

After a two week hiatus spent with my family, I've return to my chair and cute little Macbook for the news.

First! Check out my latest article for ABC News on the Miss World pageant, the newly crowned Chinese Miss World, and the ensuing gender debate.

In other pageant news, Miss Tibet quits the Miss Tourism pageant being held in Malaysia over controversy when pageant organizers added "China" to her sash, probably because of pressure from Beijing.

I know what you did last summer: Nick Young, the founder of the China Development Brief, updates us on the status of the CDB, which was controversially closed this summer by Chinese government authorities. Although he was banned from China, he tried his luck to return in late September only to be sent straight back to Helsinki. Read his fascinating and horrible story here. This is a good reminder that while we live in 2007, we are also living in China.

Joe Nye and Richard Armitage, my favorite soft power boys, are all over the press now, reporting on their Smart Power project with the CSIS. Their share their insight yet again by discussing five critical areas where the US must improve its policy - creatively.

Olympic update: The Editor-in-Chief of Foreign Policy discusses how Beijing might handle a dramatic Olympics, and we're not talking about photo finishes or one-foot vault landings...an excellent piece definitely worth reading.

Thinking about escaping from Beijing? Try Chengdu, in southwest Sichuan Province, which is evidently a tea-lovers paradise.

And the usual staples:
1. Another insightful environmental special (turtles this time) by the consistently fabulous Jim Yardley at the NYT.
2. China self-examines (IHT).
3. Beijing citizens are forced out of the city because of the Olympics/related construction and an international NGO writes a chastising report.
4. OECD complains about the Chinese Yuan. China says something about tightening monetary policy.

Janice Kent Returns to China - 60 Years Later! And other China news...

2007-11-19T13:59:00.000+08:00

My mom was one years old when she left China with her parents to Taiwan. Now she's back! A report on her visit and photos coming soon..

And now, a weekly update on what's worth reading in China news:

Pick of the week - The LA Times reports on China's efforts to recruit flight attendants for its burgeoning airline industry. Sadly, the age discrimination is flourishing in many industries beyond the friendly skies. Factory owners, restaurants and hotels also seek out young and beautiful women to employ for long hours until they are literally worn out.

The Chinese government flip flops on whether USS Kitty Hawk is allowed into the ports of HK. This planned docking was suddenly blocked by the gov, despite the fact that family members had flown in just to spend Thanksgiving with their sailors. In a final hour decision, the gov switches to yes but the Kitty Hawk has already decided to sail back to Japan. Is this because of the Dalai Lama?

By the way, the Dalai Lama strikes again. This time, upsetting China by announcing he plans to announce a successor. China argues that it's some violation of Buddhist tradition.

And one last Dalai Lama story: what's happening to his faithful Chinese followers in the mainland? In one case, 8 years of incarceration.

135 Chinese engineers arrive in Darfur to help with the peace process. The WSJ profiles a dying Chinese ethnicity, the Li. Mia Farrow (in an older FEER article) says no thanks to Beijing 2008 and shines light on Darfur's future.

Viva Mexico! Top China automaker, FAW, goes south of the border.

A Recalled Christmas. China wishes the world's children a Merry Christmas and hopes parents will still give Chinese-made toys to their kids - and not return them on the 26th.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

US Woman Wins Chance to Carry Olympic Torch on Chinese Soil

2007-11-16T18:06:00.000+08:00

Here in Beijing, I finally got a chance to meet Jenny Bowen, an inspirational leader and advocate for orphaned children in China. She is director of Half the Sky.

Check my interview with her for ABC News.

TGIF!

Bye Bye Beijing Bicycle

2007-11-12T11:19:00.001+08:00

Ditching bicycles was a bad idea

James Rose

Monday, November 12, 2007

In Beijing recently, I was struck by the number of sidewalk bike-rental shops I saw. It was not their prevalence that I thought interesting, but the fact they were clearly not being patronized.

You could almost see the cobwebs in the unused wheel spokes. I suppose they are really there for tourists, but the image seems symbolic to me.

China, once the capital of the bike, is now becoming one of the world's largest car countries. At a time of rising oil prices and climate change, you have to wonder about that.

It is predicted that by around 2020, China will have 140 million cars clogging its roads and further sullying the air. Most are private vehicles owned by China's burgeoning middle classes - 80 percent of the cars in Beijing are privately owned. China is now the third- largest manufacturer of automobiles in the world.

Recently Beijing authorities announced they will not restrict private car use in the capital, despite calls that there should be limits on use, or at least some kind of levy paid by private cars using public roadways in congested city precincts.

Bikes, on the other hand, are being sidelined -quite literally. Bike lanes in many of the major cities have been narrowed or have even disappeared altogether to be usurped by parked cars or used as bus lanes.

The declining number of bicycles in Beijing and the rising number of cars are rapidly converging. Many of those bicycles that are still counted lie rusting and unused in hutong courtyards or are left abandoned in the bowels of apartment complexes.

It is a picture of modern China. Those days of hundreds of cyclists, perhaps 20 or 30 deep, jostling at the traffic lights at large city intersections, for so long a globally recognizable image of China, are largely gone.

The acquiescence of the Communist Party authorities in the decline of bicycle use is important. It doubly underlines the belief that the party bureaucrats are more interested in staying in power than they are in truly sustainable development.

With widespread and entrenched urban bicycle use, the basis for both keeping greenhouse gas emissions in check and for decreasing reliance on fuel imports was presented to China on a plate. As recently as 2002, every 100 households owned 143 bikes.

Yet, the party authorities knew that to restrict car ownership, or even car use, at a time when so much money is sloshing about would have been political suicide. Bikes had to be allowed to become, as they are now, more or less the transport of choice for rural peasants and not much more. This can be seen as counterintuitive and possibly counterproductive, because China's reliance on foreign fuel imports is as politically flammable as the commodity itself is literally flammable.

The recent oil-price hike, and the outcry as the repercussions unroll, only confirm this.

China had the opportunity to control car use and, via a continued role for pedal power, promote a greener development of China's economy. Things do move faster in a modern economy, and China's two-wheeled economy could not last.

But there is still scope for less car use and more bikes even in big cities, a point that many in modern Western cities - express couriers for example - have rediscovered.

The Chinese authorities do not hesitate to throw their weight around in relation to, say, media freedom, democratic reform, or civil activism, so why are they are chary of doing so when the environment is at stake?

Smarter solutions and less soft politics are needed in today's China.

Private bicycles and a good public transport system, along with limited car use in city centers, is a more sustainable scenario for any modern city. Why China opted to become another New York or Mexico City is a mystery.

The slow disappearance of bicycles in China's cities is not the only example of this, nor even, perhaps, a terribly significant one. But the decline of bicycles in China's cities offers a readily recognizable symbol both of the breakdown of a system which might have been kept to ensure a more sustainable and secure future for China, and of a government obsessed with bad politics at the expense of good policy.

James Rose is editor of www.corporategovernance-asia.com

Should we revise the national holiday scheme? What about the migrant workers?

2007-11-12T00:15:00.000+08:00

I made another guest appearance on the too-cool-for-school television show Dialogue on CCTV 9 (the international/English channel) last week.

Watch as Yang Rui, the host, attempts to accuse me of hating on Chinese tourists. Oh no he didn't.

Part 1

Part 2

Weekend Update: Yao, Jonny and Jesus in China

2007-11-11T12:47:00.001+08:00

In the NBA, it's Yao vs. Yi.

Migrant workers get "equal rights," sort of.

Americans win at the Cup of China! Go Jonny Weir(d).

Happy Journalists Day isn't so happy in China.

No Bible ban in Beijing. In fact, BYOB! Local organizing committee denies Bible ban and recommends that travelers bring ONE Bible with them when they come to Beijing's games next year.

Report: China Issues Broad Olympic Ban

2007-11-11T12:32:00.000+08:00

November 10, 2007
By ANITA CHANG

BEIJING (AP) — China has secretly issued an order banning those the government considers a threat from next year's Olympics — a group that includes terrorists, Falun Gong activists, some media workers and frequent traffic-law violators, an overseas monitoring association said Friday.

China's leaders view the Beijing Olympics as a way to project a positive image of the country, but the games also offer a rare opportunity for protesters to air their grievances against China's government and the ruling Communist party.

The order from the Ministry of Public Security bans those who fall into broad categories such as "antagonistic elements," "members of illegal organizations," and "non-government organizations engaging in activities that can pose a real threat to the Olympic Games," according to the China Aid Association, based in Midland, Texas.

Others include religious extremists, "media employees who can harm the Olympic Games" and "dangerous elements ... and other people who have serious grievances against the Party," said the group, which advocates for religious freedom in China.

It was not clear whether the order reportedly issued in April applied to visitors or participants, although the association said the security ministry called for strict examinations of athletes, Olympic Committee members, media and sponsors.

The association cited government sources as the basis of its report. The group's founder, Bob Fu, did not immediately respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press asking to see the original government document.

Preparations for the Beijing Olympics, such as venue construction, have hummed along at a record pace, but the high-profile event has opened China to accusations of human rights violations, not doing enough to fight pollution and willingness to overlook Sudan's actions in its violence-ridden Darfur region in return for gas and oil.

Critics have asserted that Beijing is so eager to host a flawless event that it will go to great lengths to keep out potential "troublemakers" during the games, which begin Aug. 8.

Listed under "antagonistic elements" in the government order, for example, were anti-China forces inside and outside the country, and family members of people injured or killed in riots who still pose a threat, the report said. The category also includes "frequent traffic violators in running red lights and J-walking."

Others who are banned included terrorists, criminals under surveillance and followers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which China considers a cult, the association said.

A press official at the Ministry of Public Security said the report was "not very accurate" and that it was international practice to examine visitors during Olympic Games. The man, who refused to give his name, asked the AP to fax an interview request for further comment, to which he did not immediately respond.

Li Zhanjun, director of the Beijing Olympics media center, said he was "unclear" about the issue and needed to look into the claims.

8 Expats from 8 Countries to Carry Olympic Torch in 2008

2007-11-02T13:24:00.000+08:00

And the winners are....

China issues warning to those with protest on the mind.

Record Setting Week

2007-10-31T22:30:00.000+08:00

All the China news that's fit to blog since last weekend. Eat it up...sorry for the delay. I've been fighting the strong Mongolian winds, attempting to purchase Olympic tickets (futile!) and preparing an exciting new film on the Olympics (not so futile!).

A lot of newsworthy events have happened this week. Olympic ticket sales, as you've heard, were an utter disaster. The system crashed within two hours of opening to the public, paralyzing the phone lines, rendering the official Olympic website useless and forcing Bank of China employees to look pretty sad. I was lined up at a Bank of China branch and it looked like a refugee camp: people strewn about, general chaos and lots of people in uniform. However, spirits were generally high. I guess the prospect of waiting 8 hours for tickets wasn't that bad for most - that is until the system crashed.

Organizing commitee, "We sincerely apologize to the public."

GM GOES GREEN IN CHINA

Good news: YouTube is back!
Bad news: China's Yuan reaches new heights against the greenback.

Surprise, surprise: Beijing is not the world's most livable city. Turns out pollution is important to the quality of life? No way.

Globalization, who's in and who's out? From Singapore, Princeton's Anne-Marie Slaughter observes that the US might be on it's way out in Nick Kristof's NYT blog.

More monks march in Yangon and child soldiers are discovered in Burma.

China's Olympic champ hurdler Liu Xiang says, "bring it."

Ticket Sales Disaster!

2007-10-31T15:29:00.000+08:00

Is this an indication of what's to come in August 2008?

POLLUTION ATTACKS! OMG!

2007-10-26T16:31:00.000+08:00

A thick blanket of pollution began covering the city yesterday and shows no signs of letting up for days. Today's visibility is less than 50 meters-- and all flight departures and arrivals into Peking Capital Airport have been canceled. Children and the elderly have been encouraged to stay indoors and some roadways have been closed.

It's a blizzard of pollution! Or, as Xinhua is calling it, fog?

I will post a photo here tonight. But for now this will have to do. Imagine not being able to see the apartment building 25 meters away from your office window. Gray gray gray!

Jackie sings, Burma festers, and Taikonauts prepare to take over the world.

2007-10-25T11:06:00.000+08:00

Waiting year after year,
We can see into the future,
Together with hard work and sweat,
We've created the five different (Olympic) colors...

Jackie Chan will sing this and more in "We are Ready" - the official countdown Olympic song. Evidently he has released several albums already, in addition to his movie and countless product endorsements. Am I seeing another J.Lo in the making? What's next - a fragrance?

Also, an official countdown Olympic song...seriously?

In the real world:

China overtakes Germany as top exporting country

Graphic of the week: In case you're not sure...China Daily spells out who is a minority and who is a female in the new Politburo. (Thanks, Liz!)

Start Treating Burma like Kim Jong-Il
"To make an impact in Burma, perhaps the world should stop looking at the junta like a bunch of military men and start treating them like Kim Jong Il. After years of futility trying to get North Korea to negotiate about its nuclear program, the U.S. and other countries imposed not tougher sanctions, but smarter sanctions." By my man Josh Kurlantzick from TNR.

China and Russia won't sanction Burma

3-2-1 blast off! China launches itself into space.
"I personally believe that China will be back on the moon before we are," NASA Administrator Michael Griffin. Btw, a 3-person mission is slated for next year. For the record, they won't be called astronauts nor cosmonauts...but taikonauts!
Related: Women ruling the space station!

An important message on being a journalist in Iraq "We live double lives. None of our friends or relatives know what we do. My children must lie about my profession. They cannot under any circumstance boast of my accomplishments, and neither can I. Every morning, as I leave my home, I look back with a heavy heart, for I may not see it again — today may be the day that the eyes of an enemy will see me for what I am, a journalist, rather than the appropriately bewildered elderly lady who goes to look after ailing parents, across the river every day. Not for a moment can I let down my guard."