Olympic Games

The press conference of the third phase of ticket sales for the 2008 Olympic Games was held in Beijing Olympic press centre at 10.00am in April23, 2008. Some policies which refer to the third phase of ticket sales for the 2008 Olympic Games will be announced, Zhu Yan, the director of the ticketing center for the Beijing Olympics, said in reports. The third phase of ticket sales for the 2008 Olympic Games will open from 9:00am May 5, 2008 to June 9, 2008, providing about 138,000 tickets to individual persons only, the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) said on the press conference.

Since last April, Nobody has had a chance to see the shape and format of the tickets of the Olympic Games, in the press conference held by the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG), the tickets were unveiled.

Sample Tickets shape and format

Taking the "Cloud of Promise" as the core image, the Beijing Olympic ticket is designed to be a perfect combination of the traditional Chinese culture and the Olympic spirit. Technical details of the Olympic ticket, including the format and the information shown, are configured in strict conformity with the main themes of the Beijing Olympic Games – “Environment-friendly Olympics, Technology-empowered Olympics and Culture-enriched Olympics ". Fake tickets are easy to identify as genuine tickets carry an anti-fake chip (made in china). The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tech has already been used in China's second-generation ID card, but this is the first time it has been applied to the ticket system of the Olympics. Information shown on the ticket of the Beijing Olympic Games is more comprehensive and easier to identify in comparison with that of previous Olympic Games.

Sale branches are reduced

Compared with the former two phases, the third phase of Beijing Olympic tickets will decrease to 540 sale branches. Sport Buyers can browse the ticket Website or call the ticket center (010-952008) to check the detail branches results. Ticket sales will run until June 9, 2008, via outlets of Bank of China, from June10 to June12, ticket printing services will be kept via Bank of China, Zhu Yan said. Sports fans in China can submit ticket orders through the official Website (www.tickets.beijing2008.cn) also with the same opening time of sales branches. While, ticket calling centre will take the burden off but offer the relevant consultation. According to a statement released by the BOCOG, The Bank of China outlets and website will contact every individual who registered with valid ID information and contact numbers. Further details are available at the official ticketing website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The purchase limit is two sessions per application and three tickets per session, after paid the former ticket, the next chance is available to act.

Real-time purchasing type

During this phase, the tickets will be sold on real-time basis no matter what channels are used. If the session and price is available, the system will keep the available tickets in regular time. If payment failed, the tickets will be released for the other applicants. Besides, in this phase, tickets for the people with disability and their companions will be sold in the manner of telephone reservation via the certain Ticketing customer service platform to check the authenticity.　

Total released tickets and the relevant matches

According to BOCOG, a total of 1.38 million Olympic tickets will be released during the 3rd phase. Tickets released cover 16 Olympic sports which are subdivided into 17 disciplines and 244 matches. They include: athletics, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, canoe/kayak-flat water, mountain bike, equestrian, football, handball, hockey, modern pentathlon, rowing, softball, marathon swimming, volleyball and wrestling. In addition, tickets of accessible seats totally 20,000 will be offered for all matches involved.

Fresh anti-Western protests flared in several Chinese cities Sunday as people vented anger over pro-Tibet demonstrations along the Olympic torch relay. State media appealed for calm in an apparent attempt to dampen the nationalistic fervor.

Over the weekend, protesters waving Chinese flags have rallied in front of the French Embassy in Beijing and at outlets of French retailer Carrefour in nine cities across the country. They have threatened boycotts of the retailer, whom they accuse of supporting the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader _ a charge Carrefour denies.

A front-page editorial in the People’s Daily newspaper, the official mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party, called for calm, urging people to cherish patriotism “while expressing it in a rational way.”

“As citizens, we have the responsibility to express our patriotic enthusiasm calmly and rationally and express patriotic aspiration in an orderly and legal manner,” the commentary said.

The editorial seemed to reflect concern among China’s leaders about a growing anti-Western backlash, fueled by anger over the demonstrations in Paris, London and San Francisco during the Olympic torch relay. The relay has become a magnet for protests against China’s rule in Tibet and its human rights record.

Barry Sautman, a political scientist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said the government is trying to rein in the demonstrations in order to ensure calm and project an inviting image ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August.

“That’s why they want demonstrations to be very short,” Sautman said. “They want to wrap them up as soon as possible so they can go on to restore the image of China as welcoming to people around the world.”

He said that Beijing’s move to rein in the budding nationalism follows similar patterns seen in the past, such as in 1999 when anti-U.S. outrage erupted after the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade and in 2001 when a U.S. spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet.

“The government allows people to vent their spleen but then immediately reins it in,” Sautman said. “They are certainly afraid it will go too far.”

On Sunday, more than 1,000 demonstrators carrying banners gathered for a second day in the tourist city of Xi’an in front of a Carrefour, chanting “Oppose Tibet Independence,” “Go China,” and “Condemn CNN,” the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Protests also continued in central Wuhan for a second day, when another 2,000 people, mostly students, waved the Chinese flag and sang the national anthem.

Rallies also were staged in the cities of Harbin, Dalian, and Jinan. An estimated 1,000 demonstrators blocked traffic in Dalian, while another 1,000 protesters in Harbin held up at a 33-foot-long banner in support of the Olympics, Xinhua said.

Xinhua reported that one protest organizer in Xi’an, identified as Wu Sheng, said the demonstrations were not necessarily aimed at pushing customers to boycott Carrefour.

“We do not support a boycott of French companies because the economy is globalizing. We chose Carrefour’s front doors only because we draw more attention there,” Wu was quoted as saying.

In an interview published in Journal du Dimanche, Carrefour’s chief executive Jose Luis Duran said the company is “taking the situation very seriously,” though its earnings had not yet been affected.

With 2 million Chinese customers, “we cannot take the reaction of some of our clients lightly,” he said. “It must be understood that a large part of the Chinese population has been very shocked by the incidents that have peppered the passage of the Olympic torch through Paris.”

Duran denied rumors spread on the Internet that Carrefour supports the Dalai Lama, saying the company has never supported any political or religious cause. The retailer is the second-largest “hypermarket” in the world after Wal-Mart Stores Inc. It has 122 stores in China employing 44,000 people.

The protests began Saturday, erupting in Beijing and five other major cities _ Hefei, Wuhan, Kunming, Xi’an, and Qingdao.

In Beijing, small protests broke out at one Carrefour and outside the French Embassy as well as the Beijing French School. Dozens of police, some in riot gear, quickly dispersed the crowd in front of the embassy.

Anger also has been channeled against Western media organizations, including CNN, for so-called “distorted” coverage of recent unrest in Tibet and neighboring provinces. Foreign journalists have received threatening phone calls and e-mails.

Several thousand ethnic Chinese marched outside CNN’s office in Hollywood Saturday to demand the firing of a commentator who recently compared China’s leaders to a “bunch of goons and thugs.”

CNN insists its coverage has been impartial and has said it refutes allegations that it “distorts its coverage of the events in Tibet to portray either side in a more favorable light.”

In order to protest against France who attempted to politicize the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games by impeding the torch relay in Paris and even financing the brutal Tibet insurrectionists who had killed thousands of innocent Tibetans, Chinese people all over the world have stuck together and decided spontaneously to launch a boycott of French goods, namely a support to things made-in-china. One of the hottest resisting plans talked most frequently those days is to boycotting the internationally famous retailer, the French hypermarket Carrefour.

It stands to reason that Chinese people will resent and rebel against the inaccurate reports of the western media as well as their malicious intentions to support Dalai Lama so as to split China, especially when we are actually the victims worthy of sympathy, consolation and support. Whatever small power and influence it might bring about, boycotting French enterprises like Carrefour, as some Chinese people expected, is the most immediate and effective way that every single Chinese people could do to support the home made goods and resist the foreign products. Indeed, the national resentment and anger with a sense of being insulted might, to some extent be vented through this way. It is self evident that as a citizen of a sovereign country, every Chinese should contribute himself /herself if necessary to safeguarding and maintaining China’s unity and dignity.

However, we have overlooked the fact that to boycott trading is not a wise decision at all because it might lead to a worse trading relationship with foreign buyers. But China needs to maintain a steady relationship with foreign importers so as to keep the sensitive domestic economy stable, especially when the domestic food prices are increasing rapidly. As a matter of fact, China will benefit nothing from this seemingly patriotic campaign against the French hypermarket in view that most of the goods sold in Carrefour are domestic products and if we insist on launching the boycott, Chinese suppliers are the most likely to suffer huge financial losses. Besides, the majority workers in Carrefour are Chinese who barely make a living by those career opportunities Carrefour offered them. If Carrefour is boycotted, those Chinese employees will be out of work. What is worse, some ill-disposed nations may probably take advantage of our excessive enthusiasm and impulsive patriotism which do not bring China more sympathy than misunderstanding from the whole world. Only if Chinese people take a comprehensive approach to the issue and always keep cool to deal with the predicament rationally, will it be able to fulfill a successful counterattack.

Why not change the idea from boycotting foreign goods to supporting products made in china? Express patriotism calmly and soberly is much more an effective way to uphold national unity and dignity than to act impulsively or we are the one that will finally be blamed.

Article Source: http://www.madeinchina.com

The recent turmoil caused by Tibet-independence activists trying to disrupt the smooth procession of Olympic torch relay has aroused world-wide attention to China. As a protest to the above action, hundreds of thousands of students abroad initiated demonstrations to protect the torch and to go against their independence activities, from which, Chinese students’ patriotism has been revealed to the utter most form.

The history of patriotism among Chinese students could date back to as early as one thousand years ago, during which, the occurrence of the May 4^th Movement might be cited as a good instance for students to show their affection for China. In the wake of the movement, ignited by the demonstration led by Chinese students in Beijing, they won mass workers support, boycotted Japanese goods, stimulated an intellectual revolution, and enhanced the subsequent creation of the Chinese Communist Party. In different ages, the causes and manifestations of patriotism may vary greatly from each other. Nevertheless, patriotism can never be wrongly associated with anything extreme like narrow minded nationalism, or violent movements.

Therefore before advocating patriotism among Chinese students, a clear definition should be given and certain features should be clarified. According to what standard Chinese textbooks teach school children, patriotism “is a kind of deep affection for one’s own country that is cultivated during a course of history that dates back thousands of years”. Distinct from nationalism, such affection for one's own country does not presuppose exclusive or hostile feelings towards other countries or cultures. It by no means equates to violent protests or anything going towards extremity, like the event that during the recent Asian Cup soccer games, some Chinese soccer fans hurled insults at Japanese fans out of nationalistic sentiments that some called “patriotic zeal” and some other events as happened in earlier times and which even deteriorated and exited bad influence on diplomatic relations.

By contrast, good evidence of patriotism can be seen when NATO forces bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade—a strike that most Chinese still consider a deliberate action. The attack inflamed Chinese so much that a throng of 3,000 students tore up the streets of Beijing and papered campus walls with anti-U.S posters to show that China would not let other countries push it around. Similarly patriotism was demonstrated through the parade by the Chinese students who study in London to go against the independence of Tibet from China and to support China as the host of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games after demonstrators in London grapping the Olympic torch and trying to snuff out its flame.

Although it is taken for granted that the people of a sovereign state should love their country, there is a proper way to behave if they are to truly show their love for China and bring it glory and honor. In current China, however, patriotism constitutes the broadest-based appeal to unite the Chinese people for concerted efforts towards bringing about a well-off society. As the host of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, China needs to present to the whole world a peaceful, hospitable and harmonious country, rather than a barbarian and violent one.

On April 7, a man attempted to sabotage the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay in Paris, France. This photo shows the torchbearer protecting the torch as authorities wrestle the man to the ground

(PARIS, April 8) -- The fifth leg of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay kicked off at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, at 12:30 (GMT +2) on April 7. Here, a 27-year-old woman named Jin Jing, the third torchbearer in the relay, garnered much attention from media for her bravery.

A wheelchair user, Jin of Shanghai, China, had been repositioned one kilometer off the original course due to last minute modifications to the route.

Carrying the torch on the new course along the Seine River, Jin demonstrated great valor when a "pro-Tibet independence" activist, attempting to disrupt and sabotage the torch relay, reached for her wheelchair and lunged toward her. Without concern for her own safety, Jin did her best to protect the flame, her face exhibiting courage and pride in spite of the chaotic situation.

In that moment, it was easy to see why her friends call her the "smiling angel in a wheelchair."

But her bravery is not incidental. In 1989, when Jin was in third grade, a malignant tumor was found in her ankle, leading to amputation of part of her leg. She later returned to school after a year of chemotherapy. Refusing to use a cane for fear that she would get in people's way, Jin insisted on getting around on one foot. Her persistence would lead to a lot of pain, but she would survive.

Successfully battling cancer, Jin would even become a member of the Shanghai Wheelchair Fencing Team in 2001.

Being selected as a Lenovo torchbearer "feels like a dream," according to Jin. "God closed one door but opened another -- happiness is the best gift you can give yourself," said the optimistic Jin.

I saw it from internet so I post it here just want to make it as a funny thing. Not realted to politics.

Olympic Games is the largest sports in the world and Beijing gained the right to hold it four years ago. Now it is 2008 and we would have it be held. Hope we would have a best Olympic Game. 

Scene of the press conference

(BEIJING, April 7) -- At 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 7, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) held a press conference at the Beijing Olympic Media Center to give an update on the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay.

Under the theme of "Journey of Harmony," the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay started its worldwide journey on April 1, 2008. The sacred flame has so far passed through Almaty in Kazakhstan, Istanbul in Turkey, St. Petersburg in Russia and London in Britain. People along the Torch Relay route have extended the flame a warm welcome and the relay is proceeding successfully as planned.

Firstly, the countries on the relay route have attached great importance and given strong support to the Olympic flame. At the first stop of the relay, the president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, attended the commencement ceremony and delivered a speech. He then ran as the first torchbearer. Seeing the Olympic Torch Relay as a way to support the Beijing Olympics and to rehearse for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, the city of St. Petersburg attached great importance to the event and used first-rate resources to facilitate a successful relay.

During the London leg of the relay, Prime Minister Gordon Brown held a welcoming ceremony at No. 10 Downing Street and met with British torchbearers. Princess Anne and the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London attended and spoke at the celebration ceremony that ended the day's events.

Secondly, all Torch Relay cities have given strong support for the event. At each stop of the Olympic Torch Relay, the city's local government has held a grand welcoming ceremony and various celebrations. These cities have designed elaborate relay routes that have demonstrated the unique features of their respective cultures and landscapes. They have all provided first-class organizational, security and logistic support for the success of the relay.

Thirdly, the Olympic torch has received a warm welcome worldwide. During the Almaty leg of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay on April 2, 2008, over 200,000 citizens filled the streets to welcome the sacred flame in an atmosphere that was friendly and passionate. In Istanbul, people wore their best outfits as they came out to witness the Torch Relay. Seventy-thousand people celebrated the arrival of the Olympic flame on the streets of St. Petersburg. Although it was cold in London, with the temperature at zero degrees Celsius, more than one thousand Londoners from all walks of life participated in the launching ceremony of the London leg of the Torch Relay. London artists gave brilliant performances amid snow; passionate crowds lined the relay route.

Fourthly, athletes from all over the world have joined the Beijing Olympic torch relay with great enthusiasm. "The torch for me is not, therefore, simply about a relay around London, it is a moment where the Olympics comes to the front of everyone's mind and we celebrate the dedication of the young athletes who train day in, day out to get to the games," said five-time Olympic rowing gold medalist Sir Steve Redgrave in the Guardian. "The torch relay gives the opportunity for people from all walks of life to touch the Olympics, to feel the dream. The games are an experience like no other, but only a few people get to go and experience their magic."

The first four legs of the Torch Relay have attracted more than 100 athletes; all of them are outstanding representatives who have participated in the Summer or Winter Olympic Games. The first torchbearer of Istanbul was the first Turkish ice skater to participate in the Winter Games. The Olympic flame stands for peace, love and friendship, representing the common dreams and desires of human beings. It deserves the respect of the whole world.

 Wang Hui, director of BOCOG Media and Communications department

Fifthly, the torch has been carried through a variety of means that reflect the history, culture, scenery and passion of the countries it's visited. The Torch Relay in Almaty started from Medeo Mountain and torchbearers carried the flame while skiing and while riding motorcycles, horses and camels. In Istanbul, the Olympic torch was twice carried across the Bosporus Strait, which runs between Asia and Europe. On its journey through London, the torch was carried on foot, on an open-topped double-decker bus and by light railway past some of London's most iconic spots. Furthermore, the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay has received great support from each National Olympic Committee, as well as enthusiastic reports worldwide from the media.

There have been attempts made to disturb and sabotage the Torch Relay by a small number of "pro-Tibet independence" activists.

The Olympic Torch Relay embodies the Olympic spirit and represents the earnestness and excitement with which the world awaits the Olympic Games. A small number of "pro-Tibet independence" activists have attempted to sabotage the event. During the Greece leg of the relay, a few activists attempted to stop the relay by lying on the street. In London, a few protesters planned and carried out several destructive actions. One "pro-Tibet independence" activist tried to grab the torch and another attempted to extinguish the flame when well-known U.K. television presenter Konnie Huq was carrying the torch in northwest London. Their actions were stopped by local police, although Konnie Huq sustained a slight injury. During a lunch break, several "pro-Tibet independence" activists got past security in an attempt to clash with torchbearers and disturb the relay. The British police were successful in preventing these efforts.

Local people in London strongly opposed the attempt to sabotage the Torch Relay. And the behavior of "pro-Tibet independence" activists has aroused resentment and received condemnation in London.

As the highest symbol of the Olympic spirit, the Olympic flame represents peace, friendship and progress. Under the authorization of the International Olympic Committee, the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay is sharing the passion and glory of the Olympics with the world through its "Journey of Harmony." It has received a warm welcome from people throughout the Relay.

We strongly condemn the actions of the few "pro-Tibet independence" activists who have attempted to sabotage the Olympic Torch Relay. The Olympic flame belongs to the world and these actions are a serious violation of the Olympic spirit. They are bound to fail and will surely arouse the resentment of peace-loving people who support the Olympic Games.

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is not only a great event for the Chinese people, but also a great event for the world. It is important in spreading the Olympic spirit, promoting Olympic culture and furthering the development of the Olympic Games. The Beijing Olympic Games not only enhances China's understanding of the world, but it also enhances the world's understanding of China. It deepens the friendship between countries, promoting peace, development and cooperation around the world.

All cities of the Olympic Torch Relay, both on and outside the mainland of China, have made full preparations and have laid a solid foundation for the smooth completion of the Torch Relay. BOCOG would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the Torch Relay cities for the efforts they have made and to the people who have participated in the event. We believe that the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will receive the support of peace-loving people around the world and be a great success!

Source from beijing2008