China’s Internet to be “opened” during the Olympics
When internet censorship is the topic, there’s only one thing that comes into my mind – CHINA. Its the land of the many who are limited… The overpopulated country with limited/restricted internet access.
Good news…
The Chinese government agreed to open the internet during the Olympics… again… only during the Olympic Games. Well, that’s what the International Olympics Committee (IOC) coordination commission vice chairman Kevan Gosper said:
“Our concern is that the press is able to operate as it has at previous Games during Games time,” added Gosper, speaking on the sidelines of the inspection of preparations for the August 8-24 Games.
“I’m satisfied that the Chinese understand the need for this and that they will do it.”
The Australian, also chairman of the IOC’s press commission, said blocking the Internet during the Games “would reflect very poorly” on the host country but was confident the Chinese would fulfill the obligations of their agreement.
SOurce: ABS-CBN News
The report aslo mentioned that the Chinese Government modified some of their laws which took effect last January just so they could accommodate the agreements made with the IOC…which includes the use of the internet. Unfortunately, these retifications are not permanent and will expire on October.
Oh speaking of the Olympics, Marco Torres, a pinoy, is one of the torchbearers.
It’s amazing that the Olympic Games have to come to open up the Chinese internet… The Great Firewall of China… Insanity!
Japan’s Emperor Akihito and other members of the royal family are unlikely to attend the Beijing Olympics amid concerns here about China’s crackdown in Tibet and other issues, a report said Wednesday.
The Japanese government thinks it is not a good time for a rare royal visit because of the unrest in Tibet, a recent health scare over Chinese-made “gyoza” dumplings and a spat over disputed gas fields, the Sankei daily said.
“We were planning not to ask royals to go even before the gyoza incident (surfaced in January). It is all the more true now that the Tibetan unrest occurred,” it quoted an unnamed government official as saying.
Japanese authorities have confirmed at least 10 people suffered pesticide poisoning after eating tainted dumplings imported from China.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao invited Emperor Akihito and other royals to the opening ceremony of the August Olympics when he visited Japan last year.
The emperor told Wen then that the government decides on the royal family’s foreign trips, a palace spokesman said.
The foreign ministry said no formal decision had been made.
“Nothing has been decided regarding the attendance of dignitaries,” a ministry official said.
The last trip to China by members of Japan’s imperial household was a landmark visit by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in 1992.
China remains deeply resentful over Japan’s brutal occupation from 1931 to 1945, an era in which the Japanese revered Akihito’s father Hirohito as a demigod.
The two countries have recently worked to mend ties, which were strained by former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi’s annual visits to a war shrine in Tokyo, which Beijing regards as a symbol of Japan’s militarist past.
Chinese President Hu Jintao is expected to visit Japan in the coming months.
http://www.france24.com/en/20080402-japans-royals-likely-skip-olympics-report
this is great
what do you think ?