Irish Examiner, 12th October 2007

JOHN FITZGERALD'S letter (October 8) calling for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics should be given serious consideration. It has become plain that the Chinese view the staging of the Olympics as the most important event to ever take place on, Chinese soil. Any threat made to disrupt these Olympics will be taken very seriously by the Chinese leadership.

These games will be used to show the world how far the Chinese economy has grown and to cement China's place as a major world power.

As Mr Fitzgerald points out, this all echoes strongly of Berlin in 1936. And the similarities do not end there.

China's place in the world order is extremely suspect. China continues to play a significant role in some of the world's most worrying humanitarian situations; it is the largest foreign investor in Burma, it supports the government of Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and it continues to oppress the occupied people of Tibet.

This is not forgetting the role they have played in the genocide of Darfur.

China is the largest supplier of arms to the Sudanese government. In return, China receives 70% of Sudan's oil exports.

The 2.5 million displaced people in that region live in fear of Janjaweed militias using Chinese weapons paid for with Chinese money.

This cannot continue.

If the Chinese are serious about becoming a major player on the world stage then they must start acting responsibly. If they are not willing to do that under their own will then it is up to the international community to force their hand.

The Olympics offers a unique opportunity to do that.


John O'Shea
GOAL