INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS: Is The Chinese Government Staying True to Its Words?

There are only 11 more months until the Olympics begin. How well has the Chinese government followed through on its promises to guarantee freedom of the press in exchange for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games?

In 2001, the government assured the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that it would loosen its rein on media control in its bid for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games.

Even last year, the Chinese government stated that it would allow accredited foreign journalists to “freely conduct interviews with any consenting Chinese organization or citizen,” according to Human Rights Watch.

Are Chinese officials actually “walking the walk” or just simply “talking the talk?”

Something seems to have gone terribly wrong. There has been international backlash at how the Chinese government is expressing its promises of media freedom. Just last month, police prohibited foreign journalists from visiting Yuan Weijing, the wife of imprisoned human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, in Beijing. In another occurrence last month, Jiangsu court officials barred The New York Times and the South China Morning Post from attending the trial of Wu Lihong, an environmental activist.

If China is trying to appear as a nice country worthy of holding the 2008 Olympic Games, what message is it communicating to the world instead?

Truth be told: actions do speak louder than words.

If the Chinese government wishes to communicate a message of peace and harmony to the world, it certainly is not succeeding. After all, wouldn’t a country that holds an international event—a significant convergence of all cultures—be at the very least friendly to foreign journalists? After these incidents, it would be smart for Chinese officials to reevaluate their message to the international public. The wise thing to do would be to prove to the world that it can stay true to its earlier promises of media freedom. After all, wouldn’t any logical nation want to present a venerable image and prove its right to host the Olympic Games?

-Denise Lew