In readiness for the Olympic games, Beijing is putting the finishing touches to a colossal makeover: the world’s biggest airport terminal, skyscrapers, subway lines and lavish stadiums. It is guaranteed to impress the world. But the leadership is nervous. The games will be a magnet for China’s critics. At a time of growing unease around the world about everything from the safety of China’s products to its policies in Africa, there are plenty of them.
“A new Beijing, a new Olympics” is one of China’s slogans for the games. The English translation of this is tailored to suit a foreign audience. It refers to a “great Olympics”, not a new one, to avoid upsetting those who might fear an end to what they quaintly regard as a century-old tradition of international camaraderie. But there is no cause for alarm. What China means by new is an Olympics taken to new heights of razzmatazz. Hollywood’s Steven Spielberg has been recruited to help design the opening and closing ceremonies. Beijing is justifiably confident that its purpose-built Olympics infrastructure, including a $430m stadium resembling a bird’s nest of steel, will be ready in time. [Full Text]
[Image source: economist.com]