In terms of its political and social significance in the transformation of a society, the Beijing Olympics may not have a parallel in our times, writes Parvathi Menon.
In Xining, capital of Qinghai province, a large signboard, one among many that loom over yellow fields of rape-seed and a winding super-highway that links airport to town, reads: “Strive for excellence; aspire for out-performance”.
Overlooking the massive central plaza of this attractive city, where couples and families stroll and children bicycle on a placid July evening, a giant screen plays images of the forthcoming Beijing Olympics — on the athletes, the preparations, and the Olympic Torch relay as it journeys through the country.
The images and ideals of the Olympic Games have permeated major and minor cities, and villages, across China; while the economic and cultural energies so released have set a society on the move.
China’s seven-year long engagement with the Olympics — it won the bid to host the 2008 Olympics in 2001 — has in the last six months assumed the sweep and fervour of a national campaign, with many interesting dimensions to it. Underneath the fanfare and excitement of the run-up to the Games — captured moment-to-moment by China’s state-owned television media channels — the Olympic campaign demonstrates the unique features of its socialist political system and culture.
The first and most striking of these is the central and commanding role of the state in the planning, focus and execution of the Olympic Games; and the dove-tailing of many of China’s national objectives with the Olympic principles and ideals. The three underlying concepts of a ‘Green, High-tech and People’s’ Olympics fit in with China’s own modernistation drive, its recent awakening to environmental issues, and its focus on creating new economic and cultural opportunities for its people.
This has not precluded a substantial role for the private sector. The Olympics has catalysed an infrastructure explosion, particularly in Beijing and other cities where the Games is to be held. This includes, amongst other projects, the construction of 37 competition venues and 45 stand-alone training venues, a state-of-the-art international airport, the Beijing South Railway Station that will handle 10,000 passengers a day, the 2755 hectare Olympic Village and an addition of 200 kms to the metro track.
Much of the infrastructural investment has come from the private sector. The Water Cube was almost entirely funded by Hongkong, Macao and overseas Chinese investors. The Beijing CITIC Consortium’s Stadium Operation Company Ltd has won the bid to operate the Bird’s Nest Stadium as a sports and entertainment centre on a 30-year lease.
Though driven by the immediate requirement of the Games, this drive is focussed on the expansion of social infrastructure and opportunities in the long term. “More than 20 percent of the Olympic venues will become part of universities,” said Sun Wei De, Deputy Director of the Beijing Committee of the Olympic Games. The Olympic venues will become sports, cultural and entertainment centres post the Games.
Steven Xu, according to his visiting card, will “Provide Transfer Service and English Speaking Guide Service”. Stephanie (whose Chinese name is Xu Yin Ting) is a college student from Shanxi province who is working this summer in Beijing. Far removed as they are from each other, these two Beijingers’ lives have been changed by the Olympics and the opportunities for cross cultural communication that the Games has created. Both have given themselves “English” names for the season, both bravely and earnestly swim the choppy waters of English grammar and syntax, and both hope that the Games will open the door to economic betterment.
Steven and Stephanie are beneficiaries of Beijing’s remarkable growth. The city’s GDP has seen double digit growth in the last nine years, and 12.8 percent growth last year. Its per capita income last year was US $ 7000 against a national average of $ 2000.
In terms of its political and social significance in the transformation of a society, the Beijing Olympics may not have a parallel in our times.
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