- 2 Aug 08, 11:16 AM
I've been in Beijing for 24 hours now. This is my first visit to China.
A few months ago I was concerned that not having worked here before might turn out to be a disadvantage for me, but I have begun to change my view. When I got off the plane at Beijing airport I did so with a fresh pair of eyes.
I haven't travelled here with any prejudices brought on by bad experiences from previous trips. I don't have any memories of suffocating pollution. I am simply going to live the Olympic experience, and, I have to say, so far my impressions have been almost a hundred per cent positive.
I had heard so many scare stories before I came to Beijing. I'm sure you've heard many of them yourselves.
I'm not foolish enough to kid myself that everything is rosy in the Chinese garden, but I think it's important to give credit where credit is due, and judging from my first 24 hours in the capital I believe that there's every chance that these could be a really memorable Games.
I just want to highlight a couple of things that have stood out for me so far. First, the people.
There is no hiding the Chinese enthusiasm for these Olympics. This is a nation brimming with pride that the world's greatest sporting spectacle is finally going to be staged on home soil. And if my experience is anything to go by then the Chinese are going to make a very positive contribution to these Olympics.
The Olympic volunteers are incredible. Nothing seems to be too much trouble.
I have hardly had to open a door since I've been here. Around every corner is another person ready to offer a helping hand.
Everybody is smiling, and I get the feeling that these are not fake emotions. There is a genuine excitement building in this city as the opening ceremony approaches.
If it's difficult not to be impressed by the people then it's impossible not to be awestruck when you first see the venues. They are simply spectacular.
It's not until you stand next to the Bird's Nest Stadium when it's lit up at night that you can really appreciate its full splendour.
Unlike previous Olympic venues at this stage before the Games begin there's nobody running around Beijing frantically finishing off the final coat of paint. Everything is ready.
The competitors are going to like what they see when they get here.
I know this all sounds very optimistic, and of course there's a chance that I could be proved wrong in the days to come. But right now I have some very positive vibes about these Games in terms of sport and the quality of the spectator experience.
Even the pollution appears to have lessened. As I write this I am looking out onto a clear blue sky.
These are going to be a very political Games, and it's hard to anticipate the level of protests. I am making no predictions about that.
When the history of the 2008 Olympics is written maybe the theme will be more political than sporting. That remains the big unknown.
Either way the Chinese appear to be well prepared to put on a party for which my expectations have risen considerably since I arrived here.
So far the only Mandarin words that I have managed to master are those for "thank you".
I have a feeling that I am going to be using them many hundreds of times over the next three weeks.
This blog entry is a bit of a novelty. Positive talk about the Beijing Olympics. Who would have thought it!
All I will say is that I have been determined to travel to China with an open mind.
China is going to be subject to scrutiny like never before. We are all going to learn a great deal about the country in the next three weeks.
It would be wrong to draw any final conclusions before the Olympic flag is in the unsteady grasp of Boris Johnson at the closing ceremony, but first impressions count for much, and, so far, Beijing, has, for me, been a very pleasant surprise.
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It's nice to know that everything seems rosy in Beijing. The last thing we need is harassment and altercations between citizens in the days leading up to the Opening Ceremony.
Enjoy your time there!
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At last! A journalist that has gone to China with a clear mind.
I myself went to Beijing last year with my school, even then the enthusiasm that came from the chinese people was amazing. They were all so proud that their country had been chosen to host the olympics. Whilst i won't be visiting China during the olympics I will be returning next year to see China after the olympic 'honeymoon period'.
I hope you have a great time in beijing.
Zai jian!
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James,
I applaud you for going to China with an open mind. I saw you comment for the BBC when the Olympic flame made its way through San Francisco. I have to say that there was a degree of anti-China glee in your commentary. Too many people in the West - especially those in the UK and the US - still think of China in terms of what it was like 50 years ago. There is so much anti-China vitriol in the western press. I have read every single news report about China on the BBC news website. Never have I read a single positive piece about China - everything always comes with a 'but'. My point is that it is the responsibility of journalists like yourself to present both sides of a story, not just the side that is politically expedient to your news organisation.
I also have to contest the point that holding the Olympics means that China should be subjected to this kind of unreasonable scrutiny. When London 2012 comes around, should the Chinese media concentrate entirely on Britain's problems (knife crime, binge drinking, invasions of foreign lands are a few that spring to mind).
I want to end by saying that this Olympics means a great deal to the Chinese people. You have a tremendous opportunity, as a journalist, to bridge the gap in understanding between China and the West. The change you seek and pontificate no end comes not from constant criticism, but from encouragement.
Have a great time in Beijing. Enjoy the wonderful hospitality, food and, of course, the tremendous sport that will be on offer.
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James,
A small point but I noticed your comment on only learning the words for "thank you" and expecting to use them "hundreds of times".... from personal experience on my trips there Westerners often end up saying thank you every two seconds and this can annoy the locals after a while. Would suggest saving it for when you mean it rather than 4 times every drinks order.
Enjoy the great hospitality, it's a fascinating place to visit.
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James,
I hope that you get chance to leave Beijing and travel around a bit.
"Open mind" sounds like an excuse for naiivety.
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At 11:17pm on 02 Aug 2008, Anguish wrote:
James,
I hope that you get chance to leave Beijing and travel around a bit.
"Open mind" sounds like an excuse for naiivety.
Failed at the part where it said: Please enter display name during account creation. Rest is history.
Glad you got to see some blue skies. Hope it stays more like that after Olympics.
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re comment 3
The reason most articles come with a 'but' is because there are usually at least 2 sides to every story, if you want to read exclusively positive pieces about anything I'd suggest you read organs that are subject to pressure from authoritarian organisations such as one-party states.
Justifiable criticism of the way China is governed need not and should not be taken as an insult to the Chinese people in general - for example, I don't take personal umbrage at comments made by Chinese posters on bbc blogs criticising actions of the US/UK governments in Iraq.
But judging from many of the comments on these Olympic blogs, the view that any non-positive comment of the CCP is 'anti-Chinese' is alive and well. I can only guess that may be one of the results of an education system that inculcates only one view of the world.
I don't actually expect this to be posted, as all my other comments that have sought to give a different view from that of the Chinese posters upset at 'BBC bias' have failed to make it past the moderators. I ain't happy about that, but, hey, it's a free country...
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