Opinion | Columnists
A good time to pressure China
Washington may have to use the Olympics to press home any political points.
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:32 February 16, 2008
With just over six months to go before the start of the Beijing Olympics, in the first week of September, the screws are being tightened against China, for one reason or another. As the issue of humanitarian treatment of its people takes a back seat, mainly due to pressure from each participating nations' Olympic committee, so other issues step forward. First it was the threat that marathon runners may not take part because of the high amount of air pollution present in the city, which has not been overcome, despite efforts. This past week, Nobel laureates followed closely on the director Steven Spielberg resignation by asking China to intervene in the Darfur crisis. And now the US is accusing China of spying.
In a lengthy interview with the BBC, President George W. Bush said he will not use the Olympics to press home any political point. As things are going, he may have to - it's been done before.
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