Hi John,
do you really believe that the air will be fine when the Olympics start?
I´m sure the Chinese government will do all to decrease the air pollution, and in some way they will reach their goal. The step, to take half the cars off the road, I think that´s ok. But for the whole area of Beijing? How do the residents think about it?
But I have one real question. When hundreds of factories will be closed, what is with the employees and workers of these factories?
Must they stay at home?
Do they get their salary or pay?
Must they do other works?
I would really like to know that. I think the closure will be longer than only the 16 days. About that I found anything, not in China Daily or in People´s Daily.
In a video, you mentioned the poll, that most or many Chinese people don´t want Sarkozy attending the Olympics opener. I´ve read the article and some of the comments in China Daily. For me, as a normal, realistic, sometimes “dry” European, it sounds a little bit funny. For me it´s not easy to understand, why the Chinese people get so upset about any critics, even when they are completely unimportant.
Nice report, keep on.
Best wishes, Elke

Elke, Sarkozy supports Dalain Lama’s independent movement, which mounted violence. Where were you in latem March and April? Sarkozy wanted to Boycutt the Olympics Opener to support the independency of Tibet. I think the Chinese were upset because they are so dry and could not recognize the logica link between their good wills for holding the Games for the world and the Tibetan independency that has killed a few of them.

Other than the good wills invested by the China people, there must have been significant financial investment into the Game. For you in Germany, things from China come cheap, whereas in China the money is made one penny at a time, not dry, but drenched with sweat and blood! Gosh, you really are dry watching others take your money away at ease. Did French ever took things from Germen, nah?

You’re right, the China people have to get used to have things taken away from them, gold, silver, silk, tea, good wills, the air and their pride (haven’t these been taken one after another for many many years?). Some of these have been traded for Mercedes, BMW, Audi. Gosh, those are nice. I have a few of those and love them. Elke, can you give me a few? Let me know, I will pay for the shipment and I promise to drive them in dry wheather to take care of your pride.

Sarkozy is truly a bit funny. He started to boycutt (or sabotage) the Games right after he got deals of a few hundreds of billions of dollars contracts for nuclear reactors and AirBus with the Chinese. Granted, you do not need to keep words or hornest with the Chinese (that are not as good as u are anyway, right?), but how does he expect the China people to pay if he destroys the Chinese ecconomy by humuliating them and supporting independent movement. Make no mistake that these movements always include violence, wars and destructions? You see, the Chinese are not known as brave as the Germens, they are very afraid of deaths. Where were you, when the Red Army went through Berlin? Check it up if your sensation of pain functioned when you were commenting on others like that? Or have the China people check their sense of pain working. Dry, er?

Best wishes to you, Elke. Don’t forget my BMW, ok?

Tonny, why so aggressiv? In my comment wasn´t anything bad about Chinese people or China. The only thing is, I´m very interested in China, and believe me, I don´t read only western newspapers, Chinese newspapers too, when they are in English.
I´ve never been in China (I was in Hong Kong some years ago), but I try to visit China, when I have enough money, to do it.
Where I live, you´ll always have critics, it doesn´t what you say or not say. You have to live with it!!! And critics don´t mean that someone think bad about Chinese people or China. or whatever.
And another point: Even here, we have to work hard for our money. And I have no Mercedes, Audi or BMW.
I know that the Chinese people work hard and offen under really bad conditions, or example the migrant workers. Believe me or not, I really hope for them all, that there will be a change for the better.
What do you think, the tourists from all over the world, will have in their minds, when they come to China, after they´ve read all these comments? May be, that they will say nothing, but be sure, they will think about it. You can´t stop that! And therefore, a more balanced reation wouldn´t be so bad.
To the Red Army in Berlin: I am very interested in history and politics, be sure, I know the German history very well.
And in the end: In my comment I had only one simple question.
What will happen to all the workers and employees in these factories, which will be closed for the Oympics?
Can you give me an answer?
Elke

Elke, I am a Canadian. It has been 21 years since the last time I was in China. This looks and sounds like a completely different country from my memory. I have no clue what will happen to those workers. You did not mention about the BMW.

With my very limited knowledge about the country and people, I guess:
1. These factories will be closed for good, since these are mostly energy inefficient plants with old technologies. It would be bad business to reopen them.
2. These people will most likely to survive the transition to other ecconomical activities. The world capital (hot money) has quickly overcome the prejudicial mentality (money does not have a heart to begin with) and recognized that these are good profit making workers. Hot money and better techonologies may be available for their brand new factories. Some will come from Germany. And you’d better start to worry about your own job? The competitiveness of these people will eventually fade like that of Detroid workers (the German’s last forever, right?). But it’ll take some time if you (I just re-wrote the history) don’t mount another opium war.
3. Even in the worst case scenario, they will unlikely be the cause of unrest if this is what really in your mind. The Governement has the most money in its pocket at this time, after some went into corrupted officials. If its governement can handle three hundred million plus migrant workers countrywide, Tibetan supporters worldwide, eighty-thousands deaths monumental earthequake, upbringing five hundreds million out of extreme poverty in ten years, it aint let these few to make trouble. Are you really are asking a question or just trying to provoke the few simple, narrow, ignorant, prejudential minds? Do you have rednecks in Germany, too? Do they also drive BMWs like I do?
4, If they have to go back to the status of 20 years ago when they only had a bike as their personal property, who cares? Do you really? Where were you, twenty years ago? BMWs were already very good then!

“Agression” ? Isn’t it the word you use to label the China people on the Tibetan issue? Why on me? Like most of my pro-Tibet-independence colleagues, I don’t even know where Tibet is. Do you? This is why I think u and I are interested in history. Because it is always written by people. Your write it your way, I write it my way and CNN writes its way. My colleagues and friends are too busy to write anything, but they drive BMWs,

This picture and the reports reflects CNN’s dooming description on the China’s capital and you are adding a suggestion on its workers’ dooming future. If you guys can really turn the tide, why bother the Olymic Game? Do some thing to stock market, ok?! So I can make some money and don’t have to bother you for a BMW. BTW, do you yourself even have one?

In the end: Do you sell short on these emerging markets? I beg of you: tell me when to sell and when to buy since you can create tides?! If I make my money, I’ll get you a BMW. Fair?

Best wishes to my BMWs! I love them! I will not write for you if you neglect them.

I just back from China, it banned the plastic bags’ using nation wide, every one who is living on this planet knows the Chinese is facing very serious environment’s crisis include Chinese leaders, I was grow up in China, in my memory, 10 years’ ago China’s air was as clean as most country’s, BeJing’s air pollution shows us how fast the things can go wrong . we really need to do something before it is too late.

Elke and Tonny
How are you, it was really interesting to read your conversations above, I am a Chinese who was grow up in China, I think I can answer why Chinese are so upset by those critics, because we were used to be told how great our country is, how good our gov is, so when the door was open, we see most news about China are negative and critical, we couldn’t understand and accepted, I think our Chinese need time to get used to those different views and opinions , the Olympic will be a perfect opportunity for us to see the outside world and for other country’s people to know China,even through the Chinese gov is a devil gov in most westerner’s view, be honestly, I feel confidence in then Chinese government, I think after so many crisis happened in the past, they already build up enough confidences and manners to face and fix the problems, and they are trying all aspects to reform to be better gov.
have a good day

I do not think it is good idea to burden Olympic Game with politics, if so, it will betray the intrinic idea of the Game.
Of course, hope all will enjoy Beijing Olympic Game, if you want, I will sell you two tickets of 19:00om of August 18 related to 400 hurdle and 3000 staplechase final of men, 100 hurdle semi-final of wemen ect. Best position. Contact me:jianghong35@hotmail.com

Hi everybody:
I am only student in china.to be frank,i think the comments you stated is not very appropraite.Frist and formost i want to anwser the some qustions.

1 the central government has already estasblish the relvant funds to cope with the problem of the workers.so you needn’t worry about them.

2 the plan of close the factory has designed for more than 4 years. even without the olmpic games,we also will move them far away from the city~because it is of great importance to protect the enviroment.

3 the whole nation and most people in china believe that the goverment take a proper action towards the Tibetan issue.
China can not be seperated!!! like every other countris in the world~
thus, if it is nessary, I and all the chinses will spare no effort to protect our country at any price~

4 beijing residents welcome all the friends in the whole world, i have taken enough preparation. 80% of my firend are the volunteer of OLMPIC, we are ready to hold a perfect game now!

BTW,the most imperative things is that ,now, china plunge into a bad economic situation,the CPI was so high and exportation situation also not very well.But even take a risk of facing a desperate situation, we will close a large number of factoies, we will enhance the public security(matbe lose some freedon) etc.

Because we want to show a china,which is a new china, a modern china, a peaceful china and a friendly china!

Well said, Mark. You guys are making the history your way. Best wishes!

“The Chinese people seem to love all things western (David Beckham included by the looks of it) but in return all we can do is bad mouth them and show no respect. What does that say about us.　
　
There’s an old saying, treat people the same as how you would like to be treated.　
　
Rob, London”