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Posts Tagged ‘China’
Mon, August 11, 2008 10:15 am By James Coolridge  Printer friendly version
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 BEIJING (AP) _ The entire world is focusing on Beijing for its Olympic bonanza, while US president George W. Bush is using it for an attempt to mix up politics and religion with sports. In an Olympic medley of sports and politics, Bush, on Sunday demanded more religious freedom in China, sought an end to an escalating conflict between Russia and Georgia and cheered U.S. athletes as they dribbled and swam for gold. He also had in store full praise for the Chinese leaders for their swift response to a stabbing attack that killed the father of a 2004 U.S. Olympian.
Authorities tightened already-stringent security throughout the Chinese capital, and President Hu Jintao told Bush of China’s “profound sympathy” for the victim’s family. “Your government has been very attentive, very sympathetic, and I appreciate that a lot,” Bush said.
Todd Bachman, the father of Olympic volleyball player Elisabeth “Wiz” Bachman, was assaulted to death on Saturday and his wife was gravely injured at Beijing’s 13th-century Drum Tower. The Bachmans are in-laws of a U.S. men’s volleyball coach at the games.
The assailant, who was later identified as Tang Yongming, 47, jumped from the tower to his death. The motive for the attack is still unclear and has kept the Chinese authorities amused.
The president’s meetings with Hu and other Chinese officials at the Zhongnanhai government happened in the background of deadly clashes between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia. Georgia is a staunch U.S. ally that Bush wants to see join NATO. The conflict erupted Friday when Georgian troops moved to retake control of South Ossetia, a region bordering Russia that gained de facto independence in 1992. President Bush is seen much concerned that attacks were occurring in regions of Georgia far from the zone of conflict in South Ossetia.
A senior official in Washington said Russia’s use of strategic bombers and ballistic missiles against Georgia was “disproportionate to whatever threat Russia had been citing.” The administration official briefed reporters Saturday while putting forward a condition that his name not be used because of the sensitive nature of the situation.
Bush, who called himself an Olympics fan was seen on Sunday cheering at the stands of the Water Cube Olympic swimming venue as American Michael Phelps claimed the first of an expected string of gold medals by smashing his own world record in the 400-meter individual medley. He was accompanied by first lady Laura Bush, their daughter, Barbara, and former President George H.W. Bush. “God, what a thrill to cheer for you!” Bush told Phelps afterward. Phelps told reporters he looked up at Bush moments after winning, and the president nodded.
Bush was also seen later watching the U.S. men’s basketball team, with NBA stars Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, taking on China, led by center Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. Bush’s Sunday began with a worship service at Beijing’s Kuanjie church, an officially registered Protestant congregation, where a children’s choir sang “Amazing Grace” in English and Chinese. Speaking to reporters afterward, Bush alluded to the millions of Chinese who brave harassment and arrest to worship at unregistered “house” churches.
However, Bush did not repeat earlier admonitions about China’s pre-Olympic crackdown on dissent and its strict controls on religion. The Chinese government has bristled at Bush’s prodding as unnecessary meddling in its affairs.
Tags : Olympics, US, China, Beijing, Hu Jintao., George W. Bush, Barbara Bush, Georgia, Russia, Todd Bachman
Fri, August 8, 2008 9:57 am By James Coolridge
 BEIJING (AP) _ Michael Phelps was in full form on Sunday at Beijing. He dominated his first event of the Olympics by crushing down his own world record and all hopes of his challengers with in a span of 4 minutes,3.84 seconds in the 400-meter individual medley. This was thought to be a potential stumbling block in Phelps’ quest to win eight gold medals after Ryan Lochte matched him stroke for stroke at the U.S. Olympic trials a month back.
Both went under the previous world record in the 400 IM then, with Phelps touching first in 4:05.25. Laszlo Cseh of Hungary grabbed the silver in 4:06.16, while Lochte faded to third in 4:08.09 more than 4 seconds behind.
“I’m pretty happy. That was a pretty emotional race,” was the comment by Phelps. “I knew it was going to be a tough race all the way through. Well, it was for a while.”
The top three traded the lead over the butterfly and backstroke legs. Cseh made a quick start, touching the first wall just ahead of Phelps. While Lochte claimed the lead midway through the back.
Phelps had a slight lead at the 200 mark, and it began turning into a blowout from there. “Looking and seeing all three of us together pretty much at the 200, I wasn’t really comfortable with having that close of a race,” added Phelps. “I usually have more of a gap, but it made my breaststroke a lot stronger.”
Phelps stretched his lead and powered to the wall with nearly his entire body in front of the world-record line a green marker superimposed on the video screen to show the pace of the previous mark. Phelps calls the freestyle a just downhill. Phelps touched the wall and spun around so quickly to find his time that he bumped his head on the wall.
Michael Phelps pumped both his arms in the air, and quickly spotting his mother and two sisters in the massive stands at the Water Cube. On the other side there was President Bush was waving his American flag, accompanied by the first lady, their daughter Barbara and his father, former President George H.W. Bush.
Stephanie Rice of Australia also went on rampage to hold on at the end to win the women’s 400 IM in 4:29.45 nearly 2 seconds faster than the world record of 4:31.12 set by Katie Hoff at the U.S. Olympic trials.
The Down Under team didn’t fare as well in the men’s 400 freestyle. Park Tae-hwan of South Korea owned the gold medal, snapping the dominance of Australia of the event at the Olympics. Park, the current world champion, touched in 3:41.86. Zhang Lin of China succeeded in earning his country’s first swimming medal of the games, claiming silver in 3:42.78.
American Larsen Jensen took the bronze in 3:42.78. Australia team captain Grant Hackett, who was in the lead off the blocks, struggled home in sixth.
He was second four years ago to countryman Ian Thorpe, who won the second of two straight golds in the event. Hackett will get a chance to make up for it in his best event, the 1,500 free.
On the medal stand, Phelps’ eyes watered as the U.S. flag was raised to the rafters. The only glitch came during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which cut off a few seconds before the end. That was a great way to start off the meet for USA.”.
Tags : Olympics, US, China, swimming, Bijing, George Bush, Micheal Phelps, Ryan Lochte, gold medal
Thu, July 10, 2008 11:29 am By James Coolridge
 SKELLEFTEA, Sweden: With the goal by Carli Lloyd in the 39th minute, the United Sates owned a win over Sweden in the women’s Olympic tune up on Saturday. The golden goal by Lloyd helped the United States in folding up the Swedish side by 1-0 giving an edge in the series.
Lloyd by dribbling past three defenders inside the box succeeded in firing a low left-footed shot which glanced off Sara Thunebro’s and past goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl.
With this win, the United States celebrated their 20th straight this year. It also includes one on penalty kicks over Canada in the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying final. Thanks this time to the good fortune of Carli Lloyd.
“Yeah, it was a deflection, but it’s always exciting to score a goal,” was the early comment by Lloyd, who had earlier taken the American side to a 4-0 victory over Norway three days back. With this first match America have managed to make their 16th win in 25 matches against Sweden. Sweden has grabbed five wins with four draws.
Sweden, ranked third by FIFA is a favourite among Olympic favourites. The two scoring chances late in the first half and another early in the second were thwarted by goalkeeper Hope Solo. This was the first match of Pia Sundhage as coach of the United States against her native country. She has booted for Sweden in two World Cups and one Olympics. She feels the victory against Sweden will pump energy and confidence to her side. “We will be working on some tactical stuff,” she said. “At halftime, it was nice to hear the players say they need to challenge themselves …” says Pia Sundhage.
The United States will enter the fields next time against Brazil on July 13 near Denver, and July 16 at San Diego before marching to China.
Tags : Soccer, Olympics, US, China, goal, FIFA, Sweden, women soccer, Carli Lloyd, Pia Sundhage
Sun, June 15, 2008 8:47 am By James Coolridge
 London football club Chelsea is soon to leave its mark in the Asian continent. Best known for its quest for dominating European football, Chelsea football club is moving a step ahead for the development of the game in Asia.
In 2006, the club became the first major team to sign an agreement with the Asian Football Confederation as Official Football Development Partner of the AFC’s Vision China Project.
Currently, the club has fixed its eyes on rapidly-emerging India to build a number of significant relationships. It is in the quest of exploring ways of working together with India to expand itself in the country.
Chelsea started with a huge shirt sponsorship deal with South Korean conglomerate Samsung in 2005.
The club has so far helped launch four of a planned 10 city leagues in the world’s most populous countries including Chengdu, Wuhan, Nanjing and Qingdao.
“Three years back these (Chinese leagues) were just plans but now these are full fledged leagues,” said chief executive Peter Kenyon.
“It is remarkable that the leagues are in such a (good) position now. The AFC has the passion and commitment to make this happen and this is what spurred me into talking how we can extend our partnership to India too.
“Our credentials are well known in the area of grassroots development and if we can find a way of working together in India as well, there is a real opportunity of making Vision India come true as partners.”
Under the Indian program, Chelsea could be involved in developmental projects in Manipur, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where the AFC’s Vision India project has already been launched.
Tags : Soccer, China, Chelsea Football Club, London, Asia
Fri, June 13, 2008 10:53 am By James Coolridge
 US women’s national hockey team is going to play in China in the women’s world championships next week.
International debates are going on linking the upcoming Olympics to China’s human rights policies and diplomatic standpoint. “I think everyone is politically aware of the situation and discusses it, but we’re just excited to play hockey” US defenseman Angela Ruggiero said on Friday.
“Being at the Olympics, it can be a political platform, but as athletes we choose to use it as a uniting force rather than a political statement,” Ruggiero said. “We’re going to shake hands with all the teams. We’re going to interact with countries all over the world” she added.
Tags : US national women’s hockey team, China, Angela Ruggiero.
Wed, April 30, 2008 4:26 am By Matt Davis
 The French supermarket giant, Carrefour, once again found itself at the centre of anti-West protests as demonstrations took place in towns and cities across China at the weekend. But the chain wasn’t the only specifically French target. There were also rallies outside the country’s embassy in Beijing and the French Lycée. There are signs however that the Chinese government wants to put a brake on events getting out of hand by urging its citizens to express their “patriotism with calm and responsibility.”
Meanwhile there was also a pro-Chinese rally in Paris, as well as several other major cities around the world, calling for solidarity with China and the Olympics. While the protests were against apparent bias in recent Western media coverage of Beijing’s security clampdown in Tibet, the French seem to have been singled out over and above other countries - particularly in China itself.
The Chinese government while not overtly encouraging displays of nationalism hasn’t exactly been forthcoming in playing down the tensions. It didn’t try to intervene in a citizen-led Internet campaign to boycott Carrefour, and has allowed state media to carry stories and pictures giving the impression that Western coverage of China’s dealings in Tibet and Darfur has been totally one-sided.
At the heart of the matter are of course the upcoming Olympic Games and China’s appalling human rights record. Beijing was far from amused by the events that took place in Paris earlier this month as the Olympic torch made its way through the streets of the French capital. Protesters demonstrating against China’s policy in Tibet and its refusal to reopen talks with the Dalai Lama forced the organizers to cut short the route of the torch, turning the whole thing into a public relations fiasco.
Tags : France, China, Olympic, games, Paris, Protest
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