China's Economy and the Beijing Olympics
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Beijing's Olympic-Sized Catch-22
Victor D. Cha Beijing’s Olympic-Sized Catch-22 On August 8, Beijing will host the opening ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics. For two weeks, we will be treated to athletic performances that animate dreams and inspire the world, set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most ancient and celebrated civilizations. That, at least, is the way that Beijing would like to sell the Games. For better or worse, they will mark a critical crossroads in China’s development as a responsible global player. Just as the Tokyo Olympics in the summer of 1964 closed the book on war- time Japan, the Beijing Games will end China’s past century as the “sick man” of Asia and open a new chapter as a modern, advanced nation. The newly built stadium known as the “Bird’s Nest” and the supermodern “water cube” aquatics center are iconic Olympic facilities offering the world a new image of China beyond the Great Wall. The symbolism of China’s first astronaut in space carrying the Beijing Olympic banner could not have been a stronger statement of the nation’s aspirations. The Olympics, however, also generate pressures on the regime to change its behavior, not just its image. Beijing is wrestling with the difficulties of conjoining its controlled and closed political system with the classical liberal ideals of individualism, open competition, and respect for human dignity embodied in the Olympics. It is under siege from intense international scru- tiny of its behavior by media stars such as director Steven Spielberg, journal- ists, Nobel laureates, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and socially responsible corporate actors all demanding changes in China’s domestic and foreign policies. -
The Role of the Beijing Olympics in China's Public Diplomacy
THE ROLE OF THE BEIJING OLYMPICS IN CHINA’S PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND ITS IMPACT ON POLITICS, ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENT Evans Phidelis Aryabaha A dissertation presented to the Faculty of Arts in the University of Malta for the degree of Master in Contemporary Diplomacy June 2010 i DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is my own original work. Evans Phidelis Aryabaha 6 June 2010, Beijing, China ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS With deep gratitude, I express my sincere appreciation to Ambassador Kishan S. Rana, Ms. Hannah Slavik and all Diplo Staff for their continuous support, patient guidance and invaluable insights throughout this course. My appreciation also goes to my colleague Mr. Michael Bulwaka for his inspiration and encouragement, and for sharing information about Diplo offers; and to Diplo Foundation for its partial sponsorship. I salute the Administration of the Foreign Ministry in Kampala and the Uganda Embassy in Beijing for granting me a study opportunity for career advancement, knowledge expansion and skills enhancement in Contemporary Diplomacy. Finally, I am greatly indebted to my dear wife Caroline Ngabirano Aryabaha for her love and support, thoughtfulness and understanding especially during the course of this study. iii DEDICATION To my precious trio; Ayesiga Alvin, Ashaba Anita and Aheebwa Alton, for their delightful compliments, fascinating curiosity and inspiration to greater heights. iv ABSTRACT The 2008 Beijing Olympics were ardently sought, lavishly staged and hugely successful, despite intense scrutiny, speculation and setbacks. Amplified by modern media, most controversies revolved around China‟s political repression, epitomised by Tibet brutality. Resultant protests threatened boycott and terror, putting internal cohesion, national image and Olympic dream at stake. -
The Health Legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Olympic Beijing 2008 the of Legacy Health the 奥运会的健康遗产
The Health Legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games 奥运会的健康遗产 EDITED BY: Jin Dapeng Arne Ljungqvist 2008 Hans Troedsson 成功和建议 The Health Legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games The Health Legacy of the 2008 Successes and Recommendations Beijing Olympic Games Successes and Recommendations The Health Legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Successes and Recommendations EDITED BY: Jin Dapeng (Beijing Municipal Health Bureau) Arne Ljungqvist ( International Olympic Committee) Hans Troedsson (WHO Western Pacific Region) WHO Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Special Recognition The health legacy of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games : successes and recommendations / We wish to express our appreciation to Mr. Wang Wei, who as Executive Vice-President of the edited by Jin Dapeng, Arne Ljungqvist, Hans Troedsson Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games from 2002 to 2008, provided immense support to the preparation of this monograph. 1. Sports. 2. Olympic games. 3. Doping in sports — prevention and control. I. Dapeng, Jin. II. Ljungqvist, Arne. III. Troedsson, Hans. Acknowledgments ISBN 978 92 9061 459 3 (NLM Classification: QT 260) Our gratitude and appreciation go to all the editorial advisory team members for the many hours they devoted to this publication. In alphabetical order they are Bao Hua, Gauden Galea, Gao Xing, Liang Dongming, Liang Wannian, Brian Oldenburg, Ren Minghui, Terrence Thompson, © World Health Organization 2010 Cris Tunon, Xing Jun and Zhu Xiaowan. All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization can be obtained from WHO We would also like to express our thanks to Jenny Hong, Jiang Qisheng, Jiao Guangyuan, Li Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 Chunyu, Li Keke, Lin Changying, Liu Yaoyao, Nicola Scott, Wang Rong, Wang Ying and Zhen 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: [email protected]). -
CONSTRUCTION of the NATIONAL STADIUM of BEIJING for the 2008 OLYMPICS XUEFEI REN Michigan State University
ARCHITECTURE AND NATION BUILDING IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION: CONSTRUCTION OF THE NATIONAL STADIUM OF BEIJING FOR THE 2008 OLYMPICS XUEFEI REN Michigan State University ABSTRACT: This study examines the relationship between architecture and nation building in the age of globalization, with an analysis of the debates and controversies about the National Stadium, the main sports venue for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The article argues that nationalism, along with the cultural ideology of global consumerism, drives the production of flagship architectural projects in China. The dilemma between nationalism and global consumerism has led state politicians and bureaucrats to opt for a global architectural language to narrate national ambitions. The study reveals the rationale underlying the search for global architecture among political elites in China, as well as its mixed consequences for local cultural discourses and politics. On July 30, 2004, in the Olympic Park in north Beijing, the construction site of the National Stadium was unusually quiet. Huge machines were lying on the ground. Workers had been ordered on a two-month-long vacation. The construction of the National Stadium, which started seven months earlier in December 2003, was suddenly stopped by order of the central government. The direct cause for stopping the construction was a petition submitted to the central government by a group of academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the most distinguished academic establishment in physical sciences and architecture. In the letter, the academicians criticized the stadium design for its “extravagance, huge costs, wasteful use of steel, engineering difficulty and potential safety problems.”1 The central government responded to the petition by ordering a financial review of the project. -
Legacy of the Beijing Olympics
MEDIA KIT LEGACY OF THE BEIJING OLYMPICS CHINA’S CHOICE Amnesty International is an independent worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights to be respected and protected. It has more than 2.2 million members and supporters in over 150 countries and territories. Published by: Amnesty International International Secretariat Peter Benenson House 1 Easton Street London WC1X ODW United Kingdom © Amnesty International Publications 2007 All rights reserved. This publication is copyright, but may be reproduced by any method without fee for advocacy, campaigning and teaching purposes, but not for resale. The copyright holders request that all such use be registered with them for impact assessment purposes. For copying in any other circumstances, or for re-use in other publications, or for translation or adaptation, prior written permission must be obtained from the publishers, and a fee may be payable. The text of this report is available to download at: www.amnesty.org 2008 Beijing Olympics Legacy – China’s choice AI Index: ASA 17/043/2007 Original language: English Printed by Amnesty International, International Secretariat, London, United Kingdom Front cover image: Police keeping close watch on crowds of people in Tiananmen Square celebrating China’s National Day, 1 October 2005. The partly obscured banner behind the crowd reads: “One World One Dream”, the official slogan for the Beijing Olympics 2008. © Dubin For more information please call Amnesty International’s press office at the International Secretariat on + 44 20 7413 5566 Amnesty International. 1 Easton St., London WC1X ODW [email protected] www.amnesty.org HUMANMESSAGE RIGHTS FROM OPPORTUNITIES IRENE KHAN SECRETARY GENERAL, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 1. -
17-Subramanian Article.Pmd
cmyk China's Olympic Structures Olympic Structures of China Dr. N. Subramanian, Computer Design Consultants, Gaithersburg, USA Introduction meet and celebrate peace and beauty. Today, the Olympic Games are the world’s The Olympic Games is an international largest pageant of athletic skill and multi-sport event subdivided into summer competitive spirit. They also display and winter sporting events. According to nationalism, commerce and politics. legend, the ancient Olympic Games were During Olympics people from all over the founded by Heracles (the Roman world come to a central location to Hercules), a son of Zeus. Yet the first compete in different sports. Each country recorded Olympic Games were held in has a team and the team consists of the 776 BC Olympia, Greece, and were best players that country has selected. celebrated until AD 3931. The very first The Olympic Games is subdivided into modern Olympic Games opened in Athens, summer and winter sporting events Greece during the first week of April 1896. (Olympic winter games, were established At that time, the Greek government was in 1924). The summer and winter games unable to fund the construction of a are held once in every four years. Until stadium. Hence a wealthy Greek architect, 1992, both were held in the same year. Georgios Averoff, donated his wealth to Thereafter, they have been separated by restore the Panathenaic Stadium, originally a two year gap1,2. The Winter Olympics is built in 330 BC, with white marble for the less known because it has fewer events. Olympic Games1. Since then a number of While the sports persons eagerly impressive Olympic stadiums have been awaited for Olympic Games for breaking built in several parts of the world. -
Beijing Olympic Stadium 2008 As Biomimicry of a Bird's Nest
Architectural Structures ARCH 251 Beijing Olympic Stadium 2008 as Biomimicry of a Bird’s Nest Ann Rogers Bori Yoon Chloe Malek Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 List of Figures 3 1.0 Introduction 4 2.0 Stadium Design 6 2.1 Structural Modelling 6 2.2 Use of Steel 7 2.3 Green Features 7 3.0 Historical Context - Past to Present 11 4.0 Future Trends in Biomimicry 13 5.0 Conclusion 14 Bibliography 15 Illustration Sources 16 2 List of Figures Figure 1 Rendering of exterior view of Beijing National Stadium: Bird's Nest 5 Figure 2 Rendering of interior concourse - Beijing National Stadium 8 Figure 3 CAD model of stadium structure 9 Figure 4 Truss-Column 9 Figure 5 CAD model of Truss-column 9 Figure 6 Workers finish welding of steel structure of the Bird's Nest 10 Figure 7 Maasai woman of Kenya plasters dung over her home 12 WeeHouse, a prefab home by Alchemy Architects, can be placed Figure 8 12 anywhere in the world 3 1.0 Introduction Beijing National Stadium, designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, is an excellent example of the use biometrics in modern architecture. Still under construction, the project is not scheduled to be completed before the end of 2007; and yet, due to its innovative design, the “Bird’s Nest” is already capturing the attention of the local and international architecture community. As implied by its nickname, the stadium rises out of the landscape in the shape of a giant upturned bird’s nest (Figure 1). -
THE POST-OLYMPIC SUSTAINABLE USAGE of BEIJING OLYMPIC STADIUMS and the FOREST PARK By
THE POST-OLYMPIC SUSTAINABLE USAGE OF BEIJING OLYMPIC STADIUMS AND THE FOREST PARK By Ziqi Mao A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Urban and Regional Planning —Master in Urban and Regional Planning 2015 ABSTRACT THE POST-OLYMPIC SUSTAINABLE USAGE OF BEIJING OLYMPIC STADIUMS AND THE FOREST PARK By Ziqi Mao After 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, how to get the Olympic venues and the Forest Park reused in a sustainable way is a problem in front of Beijing government. Some stadiums and some houses in Olympic Village still remain vacant and even abandoned. Making these facilities sustainable reused can save a lot of money and energy. The aim of this study is to find out how to achieve the sustainable development and the post-Olympic sustainable reuse after the Olympic Games. This paper will adopt qualitative research methods including surveys and interviews done with local residents and visitors in the area where the Olympic stadiums and the Forest Park located in order to obtain their opinions and quantitative research methods including stadiums sustainable index to find out the current reused situation of Olympic venues and the Forest Park, the reasons why some stadiums were abandoned after the Games, and the recommendations to improve the current situation to achieve the three Es (economic, social equitable, environmental) of sustainability. Dedicated to my beloved parents, Peilei, my friends, and God iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview of Beijing Olympic stadiums and Olympic Forest Park .............................