Taipei Times: What is your comment on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision on Friday to award the 2008 Olympics to Beijing?
Zhang Jialin (
I think this is also a good thing for China, China's neighboring countries and the US because the advantages will outweigh the disadvantages. This will push ahead developments in China. In economic terms, Beijing's hosting of the 2008 Olympics will stimulate the economy and authorities in Beijing will work to ensure economic development continues. In political terms, one expects to see improvements in China's political reforms and human rights conditions. China will no longer be able to carry out indiscriminate arrests of civilians. Everything has to be done in accordance with the law.
TT: But China's best-known exiled dissident Wei Jingsheng (
Zhang: China's success in winning the bid has nothing to do with China's human rights record. The IOC considered various technical criteria to decide whether Beijing is qualified to host the Games or not. The decision had little to do with China's human rights record. But now that Beijing has won its bid, China's every action in the following seven years leading up to the Games will be scrutinized by the international community. So Beijing will be cautious. Despite Beijing's victory, if China's human rights record during that time is poor, some countries may condemn China or even decide not to take part in the 2008 Olympics.
TT: As a veteran insider of cross-strait affairs, what affect do you think Beijing's victory in its bid will have on cross-strait relations over the next seven years?
Zhang: Beijing's hosting of the Olympics will be positive for cross-strait relations because many sports events may be hosted jointly by both sides, or some events may be held in Taipei. Or, following the formula of a joint delegation by South and North Korea, athletes from both Taiwan and China can form a joint delegation to take part in the Olympics. But this will involve numerous technical problems. For example, will national flags from both sides be raised in the Olympics? The two sides may come up with a compromise, such as having both lift up respective flags of the IOC branches in Taipei and Beijing.
Besides, I read in the newspapers that the majority of people in Taiwan support Beijing's hosting of the Olympics. So I think the move will be conducive to cross-strait relations.
However, there is one precondition. If Taipei refuses to take part in the Games as 2008 approaches, or refuses to form a joint delegation, cross-strait ties will be damaged. It takes two to tango. And it requires the sincerity of both sides to utilize the 2008 Olympics as a venue to improve cross-strait relations.
TT: Taiwan has urged China to follow the peaceful spirit of the Olympic Games to handle cross-strait relations and to renounce the use of force against Taiwan. What's your comment on Taipei's request?
Zhang: Beijing's hosting of the Olympics has little to do with Beijing's use of force against Taiwan. Beijing has reiterated over time its stance on the use of force against Taiwan. Beijing's first goal is to solve the Taiwan issue through peaceful measures. Beijing will use force against Taiwan only under two condi-tions: a declaration of independence by Taiwan or intervention by outside forces. If Taiwan doesn't declare independence, how will China use force against Taiwan? So the issue has nothing to do with Beijing's hosting of the Olympics.
(Editor's note: Beijing has also said it will use force against Taiwan if Taipei drags its feet in coming to the negotiating table on unification, is engulfed by social discontent or develops nuclear weapons).
TT: Some observers argued that China's hosting of the Olympics will fan the flames of nationalism in China. To what extent do you agree with this argument?
Zhang: I don't agree with this observation. China's hosting of the Olympics is something to be proud of, but has nothing to do with nationalism.
Many countries in Asia, including Japan and South Korea, have hosted the Olympics, but the hosting of the Olympics did not stoke the fire of nationalism in these countries. In Japan, where nationalism is relatively strong, hosting the Olympics [in 1964] did not stoke the fire, nor did it make Japan more aggressive, nor did it encourage them to look down on others.
Hosting the Olympics makes Chinese people happy because the Olympics have never been held on Chinese soil. Now the Olympics will take place in China and that indeed excites everyone in China and puts everybody in a festive mood. In the future, if Taiwan were to host the Olympics, the people of Taiwan would be excited about the event. It would not necessarily trigger localization or fan the flames of nationalism.
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