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India should boycott Chinese goods The Economic Times
POLL: Should the U.S. boycott or protest the Olympic Games in Beijing because of China’s human rights record? Napa Valley Register
By BARRY SCHWEID
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush is using the prestige of his office on behalf of Tibetan protesters, but his direct appeal to Chinese President Hu Jintao lacks a trump card.
Through a White House spokeswoman last week, Bush made plain he would attend the Olympic Games in August in Beijing, the crackdown on Tibetan protesters aside.
Bush considers the games to be about athletics and not necessarily politics, spokeswoman Dana Perino said. For the Chinese, anxious to avert a public relations disaster, the statement undoubtedly was received with relief.
In the meantime, leaders of France and Belgium have warned they might boycott the opening ceremonies in Beijing to protest the way the Chinese are dealing with Tibetan protesters. But Bush hasn’t got that hole card to play unless the crackdown intensifies dramatically and gives him a credible reason to change his plans.
The Chinese already have suffered embarrassment over their treatment of Tibetan protesters in Tibet and western China. They look to hosting the Olympics as an enormous boost to their prestige.
President George W Bush will be attending the Olympic Games in Beijing this August despite the Chinese crackdown on Tibet, US officials said.
Bush believes that the Olympics “should be about the athletes and not necessarily about politics”, but he will probably make it a priority to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao during the Games to express his concerns, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said on Thursday.
“Any country who’s going to be hosting the Olympics will have a bright light shined upon it,” she said. “And it is a chance for that country to put its best face forward, and it’s also a chance for other countries to learn more about the country.”
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Wednesday night and urged restraint in responding to an outpouring of anti-government demonstrations in Tibet and neighbouring provinces over the last week, Perino said.
Bush was informed of the conversation on Thursday morning. Rice shared “our views and concerns about the situation” and asked that Chinese authorities refrain from violence, she said. Rice also urged China to open a dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.
