How should democratic countries approach the Beijing Winter Games?
The Chinese government has been accused of violating the rights of minorities, including Muslim Uighurs and Tibetans, and suppressing freedoms in Hong Kong. For this reason many rights activists and politicians in the West support a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics next February that would see heads of state and other top officials stay away from the event.
For Switzerland, the decision over whether to boycott the Games is a tough one. Economic relations with China are important, as is Switzerland’s good offices role bringing parties to the negotiating table – all of which the Swiss don’t want to risk jeopardising by skipping the Olympics.
From the article Pressure builds for a diplomatic boycott of Beijing Games
Democracy as practiced in Switzerland is good, even too easy. With a few signatures, we set up votes that are often useless and incomprehensible for a part of the population. For example, on June 13, 2021, on agriculture, when the majority is unable to grow a carrot. For other difficult themes, it is the same. People are elected in the municipalities, cantons and at the federal level. It is probably there that one must choose candidates who have proven their knowledge. Too many elected people have no experience of political and economic life.
La démocratie telle que pratiquée en Suisse est bonne, même trop facile. Avec quelques signatures, on met sur pied des votations souvent inutile et incompréhensibles pour une partie de la population. Par exemple, le 13 juin 2021, sur l'agriculture, alors que la majorité, est incapable de faire grandir une carotte. Pour d'autres thèmes difficile, c'est pareil. On élit des personnes , dans les communes, les cantons et au niveau fédéral. C'est probablement là que l'on doit bien choisir des candidats qui ont prouvé leur savoir, leurs connaissances. Trop d'élus n'ont aucune expérience de la vie politique, économique .
The right approach? Calm down, stop being paranoid, and leave the Olympic Games to the sportsmen and women without having a lot of mental wanking .
The problems are there and always have been, but the political world is full of exalted people who apparently seek confrontation. From both sides.
L‘approccio giusto? Calmarsi, smettere di essere paranoici, e lasciare i giochi olimpici agli sportivi senza farsi tante seghe mentali .
I problemi ci sono e ci sono sempre stati, ma il mondo politico è pieno di esaltati che apparentemente cercano il confronto. Dai due lati.
China is what it has been for so long, that there is nothing more to say about it.
If you don't like the expansion of this country, you should stop buying its products so cheap and paid by the Chinese themselves.
They don't teach us anything and their leaders take advantage of our naivety.
La Chine est ce qu'elle est depuis si longtemps, qu'il n'y a plus rien à en dire.
Si vous n'aimez pas l'expension de ce pays, il faut arrêter d'acheter ses produits si bons marchés et payés par les Chinois eux-mêmes.
Ils ne nous apprennent rien et leurs gouvernants profitent de notre naïveté.
How so sad that the West seems incapable of thinking for itself - each country on its own, without the say-so of the United States - a nation whose ill behaviour around the world (when it comes to human rights) isn't exactly a shiny example.
Sarà ottimo il comportamento della Cina soprattutto per i Lager contro gli Uiguri, rieducati a milioni e sistematicamente perseguitati pure tramite fucilazioni sommarie. (v. i rapporti di "Amnesty International". Non solo, ma la Cina non riconosce la Carta dei diritti dell'uomo, e ufficialmente dichiara che la democrazia sarebbe roba vecchia, cioè mera ideologia del passato, oggi ampiamente superata (sic).
Saranno per te "cattivo esempio" gli USA, che però hanno una costituzione democratica con tribunali indipendenti e non sotto costante-rigido controllo di regime. Inoltre c'è la stampa e il pubblico sempre presente per verificare come si svolgono i processi.
The US is in NO form or shape to be the policeman of our globe!!! Their shortcomings as regards human rights clearly demonstrate big lacking.
1. A truly totalitarian state and a truly democratic state can never be good partners.
2. If we had fully supported the 1936 Berlin Olympics, there would have been no reason to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics.
3. why do the Olympics need a large number of politicians and officials to participate? Do the games cost more public money for anyone?
1. 一个真正的极权国家与一个真正的民主国家绝不可能成为好伙伴。
2. 假如我们全力支持1936年的柏林奥运会，就没有理由抵制北京冬奥会。
3. 为什么奥运会需要大量政客官员参加？比赛谁花费公款更多吗？
Boycotting is about as lame as a Beijing duck! Dialogue with China is the only way! Nor have boycotts succeeded! The only ones celebrating are ....... everyone can imagine for themselves!
Boykottieren ist etwa so lahm wie eine Peking Ente! Dialog mit China ist der einzige Weg! Noch haben boykotte Erfolg gehabt! Die einzigen die feiern sind ....... kann sich jeder selber ausmalen!
Allegations and facts are not the same concept, and how do you assign a strategy on something hypothetical when neither may be true?
指控和事实并不是同一个概念，既然都未必是事实，又如何在假设的事情上指定策略？
"Neutral" Switzerland will never do something like this because it would be contrary to its traditions of "neutral tolerance" or rather: never upset any country with which you have good business and large investments. What about human rights? Simple: "I don't see, I don't hear, I don't speak".
Memento mori: not even at the '36 Olympics in Hitler's Berlin (!) did Switzerland ever dream of ordering any boycott in the name of human rights. Great words and sermons in Geneva, but then....
La "neutrale" Svizzera non farà mai qualcosa di simile perché sarebbe contrario alle sue tradizioni di "tolleranza neutrale" o meglio: mai urtare nessun paese con il quale si intrattengono ottimi affari e ingenti investimenti. E i diritti umani? Semplice: "Non vedo, non sento, non parlo".
Memento mori: nemmeno alle olimpiadi del '36 nella Berlino di Hitler (!) la Svizzera si è mai sognata di ordinare qualsiasi boicotto in nome dei diritti umani. Grandi parole e prediche a Ginevra, ma poi...
In China there are Chinese (and Uighurs), in the USA there are Americans, in Africa Africans, in Europe Europeans, etc., and at the Olympic Games there are almost professionals.
And at the Olympic Games there are almost only professionals.
Wouldn't Monsieur de Coubertin find this a form of racism that should be fought?
Let's be serious, they are only games.
En Chine, il y a les Chinois ( et des Ouïgours), aux USA, il y a les Américains, en Afrique les Africains, en Europe les Européens, etc.
et aux jeux Olympiques il n'y a presque que des professionnels.
Est-ce que Monsieur de Coubertin n'y trouverait pas une forme de racisme qui devrait être combattu ?
Soyons sérieux, ce ne sont que des jeux.
but what does that have to do with racism?
ma che c'entra il razzismo?
Racism, as far as I am concerned, is not skin colour, but all forms of abuses.
At the Olympic Games, only amateurs should compete.
And if the professionals want to compete, let them create their own games.
These games where the dice are loaded is a form of racism.
Le racisme, quant à moi, n'est pas une couleur de peau, mais surtout toutes les formes d'abuts.
Aux jeux olympiques, ne devraient concourir que des amateurs.
Et si les professionnels veulent concourir, qu'ils créent leurs propres jeux.
Ces jeux où les dés sont pipés est une forme de racisme.
This so-called “political boycott” is such a hypocritical and cowardly act. The Olympic Games are about athletes, not politicians. Don’t let them steal the limelight !
It’s like in a wedding: If the bride doesn’t show up, well, you have a big problem; but if some grumpy guests (who may not even be invited) don’t come, the party goes on and is all the merrier !
The Olympic games are above politics, the diplomatic community is there to support Switzerland and our great athletes, a boycott is disrespectful to them all, any Country not sending diplomatic support is only damaging themselves and not China, Sports should remain independent from politics
Thanks for your comment. Interestingly the US has confirmed it won't send any official or diplomatic reps to Beijing but will "be behind American athletes 100% as we cheer them on from home". Do you think the athletes will feel that support from far?
Macché "al di sopra della politica" (!) a meno che tu non legga i giornali o non ti informi per nulla sulla storia abbastanza recente dei giochi olimpici. Anzi, furono da sempre il megafono di tutti i paesi autoritari, non democratici: vedi la Germania di Hitler nel '36 (!), l'URSS, la DDR, ecc. ecc. sovente pure dopati con atleti obbligati a vincere con allenamenti forzati!
Beyond a boycott because of the lack of democracy, violation of human rights, etc., I think the most important thing is to keep COVID 19 under control.
I find absurd and irresponsible the attitude of China to try to wash its image at the expense of the risk of continuing to spread viruses.
Más allá de un boicot por la falta de democracia, violación de derechos humanos, etc., creo que lo primordial es mantener el COVID 19 bajo control.
Me resulta absurda e irresponsable la actitud de China de pretender lavar su imagen a costa de del riesgo de continuar esparcir virus.
Especially at the present time, when fundamental rights seem to be being pulverised in the Western world, it is hardly our place to reproach China. Do we think it is right what the (still) leading world power is doing to cause disorder all over the world? Do we also take measures against it?
Gerade in der heutigen Zeit, wo in der westlichen Welt die Grundrechte pulverisiert zu werden scheinen, steht es uns wohl kaum zu, China Vorhaltungen zu machen. Finden wir es denn auch richtig, was die (noch) führende Weltmacht in der ganzen Welt für Unordnung anrichtet? Ergreifen wir dagegen auch Massnahmen?
Rights? I thought Switzerland just happily voted against human rights and in favour of discrimination. At least China is honest.
I am in favour of a boycott, especially after the unfortunate incident of the rape of tennis player Pen Shuai, who was silenced by the regime! Participating in the Olympic Games with a huge nation with an undemocratic, authoritarian regime persecuting dissidents, with censorship, denunciation and lagers is not a good thing at all. It means being tacitly conniving. That would be a strong signal to send to the Chinese government. But in the name of good business and easy money, nothing will be done about it!
Sono favorevole al boicottaggio, soprattutto dopo l'increscioso episodio dello stupro della tennista Pen Shuai, messa a tacere dal regime! Partecipare ai giochi olimpici con un'enorme nazione a regime antidemocratico, autoritario persecutorio contro i dissidenti, con censura, delazione e Lager non è affatto una bella cosa. Significa essere conniventi taciti. Sarebbe un segnale forte da mandare al governo cinese. Ma i nome dei buoni affari e del denaro facile non se ne farà un bel nulla!
Can we stop politicians from going to all Olympic Games in their official capacity? Official visits are for invitation only, agreed between the governments involved. Meanwhile, let sports be sports, and not be held hostage to politics!
Athletes from all countries have been preparing for four years, sweating a lot, paying huge time cost and energy, and enduring all kinds of pain and suffering, just to be able to showcase themselves and build their career at the Olympics.
Also, there is a Chinese saying that face is given to each other. Your circle determines your perception, and your perception determines your eyesight.
各国运动员准备了四年，挥洒了大量的汗水、付出巨大的时间成本和精力、忍受各种痛苦煎熬，就为了能在奥运会上展示自己，建功立业。
还有，中国有句话：面子都是互相给的。你的圈层决定了你的认知，你的认知决定了你的眼界。
The Chinese people don't care if foreign dignitaries come to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The Olympics are supposed to be the best "stage" for the top athletes to compete and exchange ideas, not for politicians to put on a show. No political group, no politician is clean, human rights organizations are clean? With you, the world is not necessarily peaceful, see the United States is violating human rights every day; without you, the world has not stopped spinning. To reiterate, the Tibetan region has been a part of China since ancient times and leaders of all ages have been receiving enfeoffment from the central government of China through the ages.
外国政要爱来不来参加北京冬奥会的开闭幕式，中国老百姓不在乎。奥运会本来就是给最顶级的运动员提供竞技和交流的最好的“舞台”，不是给政客作秀的。没有任何政治团体、政客是清白的，人权组织就是干净的吗？有你，世界不见得太平，看看美国天天在侵犯人权；没有你，世界也没停止转动。重申一遍，西藏地区自古以来就是中华的一部分，各时代的领导人一直接受中国历朝历代的中央政府的册封。
The only way to affect authoritarian regimes is to embarrass them. Of course there should be a universal boycott of the Beijing Games.
Unfortunately, I have to go to China every now and then. So I can't vent here. You never know! But I think that says it all!
Leider muss ich hin und wieder nach China. Also kann ich hier nicht meine Luft rauslassen. Man weiss ja nie! Aber ich glaube das sagt schon alles!
A very, very explicit silence. Bravo!
Un silenzio molto, ma molto esplicito: Bravo!
You're explicit: bravo!
Sei esplicito: bravo!
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