CHINA: OLYMPIC GAMES - 2008 Olympic games will speed up reform in China, say organisers
Record ID:
329560
CHINA: OLYMPIC GAMES - 2008 Olympic games will speed up reform in China, say organisers
- Title: CHINA: OLYMPIC GAMES - 2008 Olympic games will speed up reform in China, say organisers
- Date: 9th August 2006
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA(AUGUST 8, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM WIDE SHOT OF JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) WANG WEI, BEIJING ORGANISING COMMITTEE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES (BOCOG) EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYING: "The development that the Olympics is going to bring to China is going to be multi-faceted. As you have said, this would bring change in terms of aspects of our government. By hosting the Olympics, we are learning to use an international model, which is to employ a corporate model facilitated by assistance from various governmental organisations. On the other hand, we are also incorporating a unique Chinese characteristic, which is for the government to play a major role. The lessons we learn would be helpful in the future, in the reform of the functionality of the government and in the coordinating of functions between our government and various other organisations in society." WIDE SHOT OF CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) WANG WEI, BOCOG EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYING: "BOCOG will notify the national Olympic committee, regional Olympic committees and other Olympic committees on protocol issues relating to the Olympics. We have not received any messages from Chen Shui-bian about him wanting to participate at the Olympic Games." WIDE OF JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) JIANG XIAYOU, BOCOG EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT SAYING: "The promise that Chairman Liu Qi has made is applied to both registered media and unregistered media that will be coming to China to report on the Olympics. Of course, unregistered and registered media will be enjoying different rights and will be treated differently, we should abide by the guidelines set by the International Olympic Committee. Of course, all media in China should abide by Chinese laws and regulations."
- Embargoed: 24th August 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAUDWFJU64KZXZH0CNL39A2HXV
- Story Text: The Beijing Olympics, which open two years to the day, will act as a catalyst for political and social development in China, organising committee Secretary General Wang Wei said on Tuesday (August 8).
"The development that the Olympics is going to bring to China is going to be multi-faceted. As you have said, this would bring change in terms of aspects of our government. By hosting the Olympics, we are learning to use an international model, which is to employ a corporate model facilitated by assistance from various governmental organisations. On the other hand, we are also incorporating a unique Chinese characteristic, which is for the government to play a major role. The lessons we learn would be helpful in the future, in the reform of the functionality of the government and in the coordinating of functions between our government and various other organisations in society," Wang said.
Many within the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had hoped awarding China the Games would help accelerate reform in the in the Communist-controlled state.
Wang, a former deputy secretary general of the Beijing municipality, said the government had learnt a lot from cooperating with the corporate world in staging the Olympics.
One issue that still gives cause for concern is media freedom.
The Foreign Correspondents Club of China released a statement on Monday complaining of harrassment and calling on the government to ease reporting restrictions ahead of the Olympics.
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders also weighed in with a statement, accusing the IOC of ignoring what they called China's crackdown on the media.
At Tuesday's new conference, Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) Vice President Jiang Xiaoyu reiterated his president Liu Qi's commitment to allowing reporters the same freedom they had enjoyed at previous Games.
Jiang added that the commitment applied to journalists accredited by the IOC to cover the Games and those without accreditation.
The officials said preparations for the Olympics were going well, although Jiang said more work was needed to improve the traffic situation in Beijing.
BOCOG still plan to include Taiwan on the torch relay route, although the self-governing island, which China considers a rebel province, had not yet been approached.
Wang was unsure whether Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian would participate in the opening ceremony. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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