Children wore “I Love China” T-shirts and workers waved flags and pom-poms, while drums and cymbals resounded around Tiananmen under a portrait of late revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.

China’s Communist leaders hope such images of the torch’s final passage through the host city will help banish memories of Tibet protests dogging the flame in Paris, London and elsewhere.

So police were quick to react to Wednesday’s Tibet protest, taking 12 minutes to remove the four, according to state media.

To protect the athletes and guard against terrorism or protests, a 100,000-strong force is on hand in Beijing.

Authorities intensified security this week after suspected Muslim separatists attacked a group of jogging policemen with homemade explosives, killing 16, in the far west.

The Games have given China an unprecedented chance to showcase its modern face and economic progress but have also galvanised critics of its human rights record.

Police banned U.S. swimmer Amanda Beard from holding a pro-animal rights news conference. Instead, she took to the street to unveil a nude photo of herself saying “Don’t wear fur”.

And in a clutch of such political statements, three Americans shouted slogans decrying forced abortions and religious repression in China before police intervened, while a Tibet film got a secretive premier to reporters in a dingy hotel room.

The United States said it would protest to China over its decision to revoke the visa of Olympic gold medallist Joey Cheek, an activist for the Sudanese region of Darfur where China is accused of failing to help end the crisis.

Demonstrations around the torch’s international legs offended many Chinese, who see the Games as a moment of national pride for a nation some view as the emerging 21st century superpower.

“It’s not just about the sport, it’s about the image of China,” said Xi Li, among the officially organised torch crowd.

“Chairman Mao would have been happy if he were here today!”

Sadly for organisers, the start of the flame’s passage through Beijing took place under smog-filled skies.

Some US$18 billion of cleanup measures have reduced contamination to safe levels, according to Olympics chiefs, but not produced the sunshine and blue skies China longs for.

Subscribe to The China Post and save.  Click hereSharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 800 characters max

Receive China Post promos

Respond to this email