Frustrations are escalating between the Western media and Chinese officials over the government’s handling of the Olympic Games.
At a daily press conference Thursday, reporters confronted Olympic officials over the rough handling of a British television journalist by Chinese security forces, and the government’s failure to approve bids to demonstrate in designated protest zones.
At the center of this fray is Wang Wei, the U.S.-educated Chinese official who has been the public face of Beijing’s Olympic organizers. Mr. Wang, an executive vice president of Beijing Games organizer known as Bocog, was part of the Chinese delegation that bid for and won the 2008 Games, in part by arguing that they would bring positive change to China.
At Thursday’s press conference, Mr. Wang made an impassioned defense of China’s performance as Olympic host, following harsh questioning by reporters.
Here is Transcript of the Sixth IOC/BOCOG press conference:
Updated: (2008-08-14 10:01:20)
Date/Time: 11:15 a.m., Thursday, August 14
Venue: Main Press Conference (MPC)
Sun Weide
Good morning ladies and gentlemen, welcome to BOCOG and IOC joint press conference. This morning as usual, we are joined by Mr. Wang Wei, executive vice president and secretary general of BOCOG, Ms. Giselle Davies, IOC Director of Communication. With us today is also, Ms. Ruan Lanyu, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture. First of all I would like to give the floor to Mr. Wang.
Wang Wei
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Just to give a daily briefing on the Games operation. Yesterday we have a total of 27 competition events staged in 30 venues including 20 in Beijing and 10 in 6 co-host cities. Those cycling events came to a successful conclusion.
The competition venues received 3,231 athletes, 2,252 team officials from 131 participating teams as well as 2,359 technical officials, and 495,609 spectators, 6,512 VIPs and 7,857 journalists. In additional, the venues received 403 training teams consisting of 2,051 athletes and 507 team officials.
Update for August 14, the 6th day of the Olympic Games will see 23 competition events in 24 venues; a total of 17 gold medals will be awarded. The swimming event for today will certainly attract much attention. Weather forecast for today: light rain is expected in Beijing this morning; light winds are broadcasted for Qingdao during the competitions; Hong Kong will be clear and hot; Shanghai will remain hot and humid; Tianjin and Shanghai will experience thunderstorm in the late afternoon.
Beside that, I will brief you on the traffic accident yesterday.
On August 13, some athletes and coach left the Olympic Village for Shunyi Olympic canoeing venues around 2 in the afternoon carrying 2 Croatian athletes and one Croatian coach and 6 staff members from Poland, Canada and Australia and volunteer. On the crossroad, there were 4 passengers who tried to overtake and collided into the right side of the coach. The accident caused slight scrapes of the 2 Croatian athletes and the other passengers on the coach. Of the 4 passengers in the van, 2 were injured and 2 died later after being treated in the hospital. After the accident, the emergency plan was launched immediately. The patients were immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. According to the investigation, the van was at fault at valid traffic rules. The accident did not affect the athletes’ schedule. They went back to training and competition immediately afterwards. BOCOG also made announcement about the accident on INFO2008 last evening.
Before I finished, I would like to congratulate Michael Phelps for breaking the record for individual gold medals. Of course, we celebrate the participation of all the athletes. But this complement is truly special, congratulate to him. Thank you.
Ruan Lanyu
Dear friends from the media, according to the arrangements today I want to brief you on the live sites activities staged in Beijing. The live sites are parts of Olympic culture building in Beijing for citizens in Beijing, and friends and journalists and tourists from China and abroad, for the athletes and officials and other visitors. The live sites provide the best opportunity for them to take direct participation in the festive activities and the ambience of the Olympic Games.
Since the 13th of July, the opening of all the live sites, at every live sites, a colorful and rich variety of activities has been staged including performance troupes from other provinces and other countries. Dance troupes and choirs and non professional amateur performers at the community level, they are consisted of a large format screens and cultural showcases, the exchange of emblems and souvenirs. There are 7 elements in the live site activities. According to the statistics by today since the 13th of July, we have entertained 1.4626 million visitors and since the 8th of August, the large formats screen has seen over 416,000 spectators and visitors.
On the eve on August 8, all the live sites entertained over 131,000 visitors. On the evening of August 8, according to the polling of the statistics from all the live sites, all the spectators’ centers were viewing the Opening Ceremony with great excitement and jubilation. Let me talk about an example about the Temple of Earth live site. I was present at the Temple of Earth. During that night, as many as 21,000 visitors including people from Belgium, Demark and UK, the US, Italy and etc watching the large format. Those visitors include some cyclists who have been cycling for several days from Daqing in China; also the audiences include the students and other visitors from Beijing and elsewhere and holding the Chinese National Flag and the Olympic Flag painting Five Rings on their face. And foreigners were also moved by the jubilation and many of them were just cheering out loudly. They cheered ‘Go China, Go Olympics’ in Chinese.
So it was full of celebration and cheering on the live site. I was very moved by the scene myself. At the central plaza, and other live site in Fangshan, in Tongzhou, in the Longtanhu, in Lianhuachi Park in Fengtai District, and Yong’an Park in Changping district, tens of thousands of people get together in front of the large screens to share the festivities of the Olympic Games. In general, in the day of the Opening Ceremony, on all the live sites, there was an exciting and happy ambience in an orderly way after the Opening Ceremony was over, the people were still soaked in the festivities and jubilation and they had a lot of photos taken. And they didn’t want to leave.
When the live sites were closed, all the visitors cleared off the littering around them and other wastes are packed into pre-prepared plastic bags. So they have shown their support for the Beijing Olympics. At the live sites, more wonderful programs will be arranged. More celebration will be staged as well. And take the example of another live site; at the eastern pubic side of Beijing, according to the on-going event on the day, we are going to have a night of badminton, night of gymnastic, table tennis, and various other events as well. So at the margins of the competitions, people still enjoy the ambience of the Games. And at the Closing Ceremony to be held for the Games, some of the lively sites will be staging celebratory performances. Let me also share with you that starting from tomorrow, from 15th to 24th of August, at the Tian’anmen Square, there will be a mass celebrations at the Square, so as to stress full participation for the people, including the folk d! ance group, and fitness dancing and other performance related to non- intangible cultural heritage.
Let me also share with you, there are going to be dance competitions as well. In our manual guide for cultural activities, programs and schedules are provided. If you want to visit those live sites, the evenings will be the best for you to visit. That is what I want to say. Thank you very much.
Sun Weide
Thank you, Director Ruan, now the floor is open for questions. Again for convenience of the broadcasters, I would appreciate it if you stand up when you raise the questions.
AFP
I would like to ask Giselle about the Spanish basketball teams advertisement in which they pose with pulled out slanty eyes. I wonder whether you thought this was appropriate, in line with the Olympic ideals whether there will be any sanctions against the teams, whether it is damaging for 2016 Games. Thank you.
Giselle Davies
Thank you and good morning. Clearly it wasn’t appropriate, we understand the team has apologized and so as far as we are concerned the matter rests.
Wang Wei
I have not seen the picture. It is hard to make specific comments. Thank you.
Voice of Strait Broadcasting
Could you talk about the Chinese Taipei athlete, Zhang Taishan, have a doping test, and there was a problem with the doping test. And the baseball team confirmed the results of the doping test.
Giselle Davies
Thank you for your question. It was done by the sports federation so it was done before the Olympic Games here. We have had a number of cases, you may recall, a lot of testing ahead of the Games. So this is one of those tests. So the federation can give you more information. It is not a test by the IOC in the Games-time period.
New York Sun
I had a question about some of the cheering went on at the badminton match. Yesterday, when the Americans were playing the Chinese, there were probably about 3,500 Chinese there and 10 Americans. Whenever the Americans cheer, there were booed by the Chinese crowds. I am wondering if you consider that part of the reasonable patriotism, a reasonable behavior on the Chinese crowd, or is it not an appropriate behavior?
Wang Wei
Again, I was not present at the stadium. I think the crowds of spectators should cheer for both sides, not something that we are encouraging. Thank you.
American Fox News Radio
Thank you. On Monday, August 11, the grassroots legal activist from Fujian Province was applying to hold the protest on one of the designated protest zones. He wanted to denounce rampant official corruption and abuses of power. A man from Suzhou was attempting to apply for permission to protest about a property dispute in her hometown but was escorted back by Suzhou government officials. The police at the Beijing Haidian district police station refused to accept an application by Mr. Zhang to protest over the demolition of her home for Olympics related development.
Wang Wei
I think you are in China and suppose to cover the Games. Of course you have found a lot of things happening, but I don’t know what you are saying is true or not. As you know that BOCOG, our responsibility is to organize the Games and if you have questions like that, the protestors and things like that, you should go to the authorities of public security. Thank you for your question.
Channel 4 News
My question is really short. It is for Giselle, given that China got these Games, it made promises about human rights and press freedom. Given that the Chinese government has lied to its teeth in keeping the promises. Is the IOC in any way embarrassed about the Chinese government not keeping promises on both press freedom and human rights?
Giselle Davies
Good morning. There was certainly some hope and inspiration late in 2001 as to how the Games could have a positive impact on the wide social framework. We have to notice that there have been an enormous effort done in a number of the areas. You are here reporting on the Games, the world is watching and there will be commentaries made appraising how the Games have had an impact wider through bringing sports athletes and world’s attention. Interestingly, I saw the AP did the survey, whereby their readers say that 55% of the respondents in the U.S. believe the choice was the right choice to come to Beijing in China.
Channel 4 News
Yes. I’m not asking about that but asking the IOC if they are in any way embarrassed about the manifest failure on behalf of the Chinese government to keep their promises. It’s a very straightforward question. Is the IOC embarrassed?
Giselle Davies
We are proud of the fact that these Games are progressing with the spectacular sports, sports venues and operationally running very smoothly. And that’s what we are focusing here.
Channel 4 News
I’m asking if you are embarrassed. I’m not asking about how well the Games will be run or how wonderful the venues are. Are you embarrassed? I don’t think that anyone in this room, if I may speak, maybe stepping out of the line, but I don’t think anybody thinks you’ve answered this question. Is the IOC embarrassed about the Chinese government not keeping with the promises?
Giselle Davies
We are very pleased with how the organizers are putting on good sports events. That is what it is, the Ioc is to bring sports and Olympic values to this country. That is what is happening and the organizers have put on operationally sound Games for the athletes. This is an event first and foremost for the athletes, and the athletes are giving us extremely positive feedback about how they see these Games is being held for them.
Channel 4 News
Giselle, let’s try that one more time, is the IOC embarrassed that Chinese government not keeping promises on both press freedom and human rights. One more chance.
Giselle Davies
I think probably your colleagues in the room would like to have a chance of question as well.
Sun Weide
Next question please.
Wang Wei
I would like to add something to Giselle’s answer. I was the secretary general of the bidding committee. I was confronted a lot about the opening up and reform of China. I did say that the Olympic Games coming to China will help China to open up further and to reform better. The fact is after 30 years of reform, China has developed greatly. People enjoy more freedom. People enjoy a lot to say and People’s economic situation improved a lot. Everybody can see that. Olympic Games is a great platform. Everybody who first came to China will say to me China is so different from what they read, what they saw in films, in papers. People are so friendly, people are living a good life. Everybody is happy. People are optimistic about their own future. That is the fact. Of course, there are exceptions like in any countries. Some people are not satisfied, that is true. But we need to take the legal process procedures to resolve their own issues, their problems. We can not allo! w the country in the chaos.
We welcome people to China to celebrate the Olympic Games with us, to enjoy the festivity with us. Of course we also welcome suggestions, constructive advices from all the people, all the kind people. I think a very few people come here to pick, to be critical, to dig into the small details, to find the fault with that. That doesn’t mean we are not fulfilling our promise. I think the whole country can see how China is progressing, how China is genuinely welcome the world to China to enjoy everything with us. That is the comment I want to say. I did not say we will do whatever with the Games coming to china. I didn’t say that. But I say the Games will open up the horizon about China. People would see better for themselves what China is like. That is my statement and observation. Thank you.
Beijing Youth Daily
I would like to confirm with Mr. Wang on the traffic accident and the unfortunate victim. They are not athletes, were they? I wasn’t quite clear about that. What information you have on the doping of the last few days ?
Wang Wei
People died in the accident were not athletes. They were people in the small van that really violated the rule of the traffic.
Giselle Davies
The statistics we carried out was the one I gave the day before yesterday. I haven’t got update today. I will get them later this morning.
South China Morning Post
Mr. Wang. Thank you very much for your statement. I have been here for the Olympics for three years. And that was quite a passionate and quite open and very well-received by me any way statement there. But in this new spirit, can I ask today, can I have some figures as was quite passionately asked by one of my colleagues here some numbers of the people who have applied to the protest parks. I think in the spirit you have shown there, if you can just be a little bit more transparent, you probably wouldn’t receive such ferocious roasting.
Wang Wei
Thank you for your question. Again, as BOCOG, we are striving to provide good service for the media to come here to cover the Games. But you have to be clear about our positions, responsibilities and obligations. With regards to the parks that were proved to be for demonstrations, they are with the responsibility of the public security not for BOCOG. So our director of BOCOG did check, but we haven’t received the information. Once it is there, we will let you know.
Xinhua News Agency
My question is for Giselle. Yesterday one of the foreign athletes complained about the pre competition tests were carried out too frequently and too early. So the Chinese athletes will receive host advantage in this regards. So when IOC was planning for the schedules of doping testing, who was the decision maker? Are the Chinese athletes advantaged in this regards?
Giselle Davies
The doping work is done by IOC and those that we entrusted to do it in order to ensure the athletes are playing by the rules. So when they lined up side by side, all the procedures, processes, rules and way of testing is done, you can find all the details. They are available for you as well as the athletes. You can find it on the website, they are communicated to the athletes through the national Olympic committee so it’s clear for everyone. These are tested first and foremost for the athletes so that they know that the IOC means business and wants clean Games.
ABC
How was it that a British journalist was detained and assaulted yesterday on the Olympic venue? He had an Olympic accreditation from both BOCOG and IOC?
Wang Wei
According to my information, I think when the British journalists show the accreditation, he was released. In the future, I think there will be more communication between the police and the journalists so that they can understand each other and have a better cooperation. Thank you.
Giselle Davies
Our position is very clean and the media should be allowed to do the job reporting on the Games. Just for small point of clarification, he was accredited by the city authorities not an Olympic accredited journalist. But nonetheless the IOC does disapprove of any attempts to hinder the journalists who is going about to do his job within the rules and the regulations. As Mr. Wang Wei has explained, this we hope has been addressed and we hope this don’t happen again.
ABC
From the bus and the bus went away, he did carry his accreditation before hand. But he was taken away.
Giselle Davies
As I said, it’s day 6 of the Games, day 5 of the Games has occurred. We don’t want to see it happen again.
Guardian
I would like to follow up on that point, I’m from the Guardian. A photographer is accredited for the Games here. You may tell from his name that he is of Asian origin, was assaulted by the police and his camera was broken. Can you explain why that is, please Giselle, and Mr. Wang if you can? To Mr. Wang, I would like to thank you for your quotable speech but also as you are the minister coach, I would like to ask you about a ‘Youtube’ video that has been taken down over a copy rights infringement, apparently. Could you explain that?
Giselle Davies
Thank you for your question. Not aware of the case that you mentioned. Happy to get the facts about it with John. We spoke to John yesterday. If there was another incident, whoever was involved with it, your cameraman, yes, we would like to base it on facts and to get the facts from the persons involved. We are more than happy to speak to him as we did with John Reyes today.
I can’t explain since I don’t know about this case. I’m very clear about the IOC position in terms media should be allowed to do their job and we disapprove their work being hindered when they do not adhere to be breaching the rules. I can’t be clearer than that.
Wang Wei
I have not heard this piece of information so I don’t have any comment. Again I would like to provide good service to the media.
Ruan Lanyu
As for the tape video, I don’t know anything about this, let me get the information and come back to you then.
Reporter from Japan
My question is about the interview during the competition. Yesterday there was a judo event. After the competition, one of the journalists asked about the Georgian and Russian issues because during the judo event, the Georgian won the gold but the bilateral relations between the two countries are deteriorating at the same time. The journalists asked about the bilateral relations between Russia and Georgia. But the anchor person rejected this question. How is he authorized to reject a question from the media because the media was free to ask questions?
Wang Wei
Well, from my understanding of the rule 51.3 of the Olympic Charter, within the Olympic venues and relevant areas, there is no promotion of political and religious agenda so I understand why the emcee will not encourage the question like Russia and Georgia to happen because it starts another debate. It will not end up happily and will affect the Olympic spirit here. Thank you
Washington Post
I’m looking for specifics on the air quality analysis that’s going on a daily basis. What ratings, and if you can answer this specifically as much as possible, what reading are the IOC reading as its daily analysis, are they coming from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau or another source, if another source are all these public. What are the specific levels of the pollutants when you deal with this analysis considering the accessibility for an event to be cancelled, moved and postponed? What is the specific mechanism that these data are analyzed and reviewed, who looks at it and make the call. Finally, how do things work to this point? Thank you.
Giselle Davies
Thanks for your question. The data come from the Beijing Environment Protection Bureau which has 27 stations around the city. They measure a number of different readings. I’m not an expert but I remember it including ozone which was not included prior but was then added through the collaborative work between the IOC and the bureau and a number of the readings. We also look at heat and humidity because it is a question of air quality and its totality and the particulate matter plus the heat and humidity analysis. We have that information on the 72 hour forward looking basis in order to be able to take a judgment in that degree of time. We are looking for immediate 24 hours and the 72 hour gives us a good basis for decision making. We brought Professional Lucas to give us a more detailed briefing on this, a week or so ago. I think it was probably before you were here. Happy to try to connect to you if we can to go into some of the finer details. But basically, the great! looks of the information daily and to date, we are comfortable that we don’t have any concern at all in terms of the air quality. They have been there a need to activate further study or decision because they have always been within the guidelines set.
CCTV
You have mentioned yesterday that the Togo athletes got the bronze medals on kayak. Are there any athletes who took part in this game besides the Togo athletes?
Giselle Davies
Thanks for your question about our Olympic solidarity athletes. Yes, there are a number of them. I would be delighted to give you the information. I have not got the list here. We have been running some stories about the Olympic solidarity athletes. You can find them on our website and the team you can follow up so you can highlight any of them there in particular interest for your column stories.
BBC
This is a question for Wang Wei. It’s about the protest park again. I know that you have given us your thoughts already but it was a BOCOG official who announced that these protest parks will be set up and its going to take place during the Olympic period. So it is a legitimate question for us to ask instead of passing us to the Beijing Security Bureau. This is a question for Wang Wei. As a Chinese official, what do you feel when I tell you that nobody so far has been allowed to protest and no Chinese person has been allowed to express their opinions? What does it make you feel as a Chinese person?
Wang Wei
I think for Mr. Liu, who was here yesterday, director of the security of BOCOG, he announced the three parks. You are right. But he has no authority on the extra administration of the parks. On behalf of that, he announced that but he has no information neither have I have the information. So once we have this information, we will relate it to the media that’s no problem. As a Chinese official, the three parks opened are based on the constitution on China that people are allowed to demonstrate if they have some issues and if they want to demonstrate. They have to apply first and the application needs to be approved. I think that is one step further for China to open up. I think this is a very good gesture. With regard to nobody have been approved to demonstrate, I think this is not a BOCOG issue but of department authorities. I think in due time they can explain.
BBC
The Chinese people long have the constitutional rights to vote, that’s not the step to demonstrate to step forward. The step forward surely would be to allow a demonstration to take place but none has taken place. How does that make you feel as an official? Do you think China will step forward even none will be allowed?
Wang Wei
Yes. I think China has been stepping forward. If you asked an ordinary Chinese on the streets, I think they will give you the same answer. I think you can not underestimate the wisdom of the Chinese people. You can’t say you are the smartest. So if you come over here, you can be critical. It’s alright. But you have to believe the majority of the people. Otherwise I think you are quite misled in a way. Thank you.
Beijing Daily
This morning I saw Mr. Rogge in the MPC. I would like to confirm was he here or did I make a mistake? Or if he is at MPC, what does he come for? Does he have any comment on the function of the MPC?
Giselle Davies
He did it toward the MPC-Main Press Center this morning. He visited the broadcast center or IBC yesterday or the day before yesterday. He always comes to visit all the venues, the working facilities here, as well as the sport venues. He had a couple of rendezvous when he was here. Yesterday, it was indeed him that you saw. IOC, in terms of the overall perspective on this Main Press Center, it welcomes the media in a spectacular ways. The facilities are absolutely first class.
Sun Weide
We have come to the end of the press conference. Thank you very much.
