 Letters and Blogs
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-07-16 07:38 Clear Beijing's air of news pollution In less than a month, the 29th Olympics will be held in Beijing, which was described as "air pollution capital of the world" by some Western media outlets. According to their reports, most of the foreigners who have to live in Beijing are not willing to stay too long in order to avoid "permanent damage to their lungs". If you are a Westerner, what will you imagine about Beijing's air quality after you read such reports? Maybe that's the reason why some countries trained athletes in Nagano of Japan for "better environment". We Beijing residents cannot help worrying about Beijing's air quality and about our lives on reading such stories. However, according to The Independent, average life expectancy in Britain and similar countries of the OECD was 78.8 in 2000-05. Meanwhile, National Bureau of Statistics of China's figures show that average life expectancy in Beijing has reached 80.9. Will those journalists notice the small age gap? In fact, as early as Beijing won the bid to hold the Games in 2001, Beijing was determined to improve its air quality and has invested about 140 billion yuan since then to accomplish a "Green Olympics" . Currently Beijing is in the final stage of preparation for the Games. More than 25,000 foreign journalists are expected to come to cover the sports festival. Possibly some of the journalists will switch their focus from the Games to China's problems at that time, many observers say. A human rights organization has published pamphlets in which China is considered as dangerous as Iraq. Will those journalists equipped with such pamphlets report China impartially? Despite potential unfair coverage of the Games, we are ready, just as what we sing in the song. In 2006, Chinese State Council passed The Provisions on the Reporting Activities in China Conducted by Foreign Journalists during the Beijing Olympic Games and the Preparatory Period. According to this order, during the period of preparations and the Games, foreign journalists can interview directly if the interviewees agree to take their interviews. Such an order came out against the context that China is self-confident. Every country has problems. Being a big country, China is no exception. However, the Olympics is an opportunity not only for China to embrace the world but also the world to know a true China. A confident China will be open for both appreciation and well-meaning criticism. In other words, China will not be afraid of objective reports on its air. Zhibuzu on blog.xinhuanet.com Readers' comments are welcome. Please send mail to Letters to the Editor, China Daily, 15 Huixin Dongjie, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029 China. Send faxes to (86-10) 6491-8377. Send e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn or letters@chinadaily.com.cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you. (China Daily 07/16/2008 page9) |
