I APPRECIATE Mr Chua Chin Hon's article on Tuesday asking if the Beijing Olympic Games will bring China real changes ('Games face just a mask?'). Some of the concerns and questions in the article are genuine, such as fears that pollution may return after the games and the way the government handled a factory closing to improve air quality. However, to say or selectively quote to say what China has done for these Olympic Games is just for face value and gold medals are a waste of money seems to show a lack of vision. The Beijing Olympics have served as a window for the world to see another side of China and its people, unlike the typical Hollywood images. The fresh images ordinary Chinese people have shown to the world during the games, positive, confident and optimistic about the country's bright future, are priceless. To many proud Chinese, the message China wants to send to the world is simple: the day China is back to where it was - centre of the world stage - is coming. Historically, different powers have chosen to send similar messages in their own ways, mostly by military means. China chose to show its power by organising the biggest party for humanity. I believe everyone will agree is a better way.

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Yeah... Sun Yanzi got to appear for 1 second precisely. Shows the pecking order.

As long as there are Chinese prositutes in Geylang and construction workers everywhere in Singapore, China can never show its power..................

Conficius says:- To know what is shame is equilivant to courage！

子曰：- 知耻近于勇！

One gets to see what one want to see.

is there more honour in providing service than acquiring service. Wonder what Confucius would say to a buyer.

I agree that the cartoon accompanying Mr Chua Chin Hon's article "Games Face Just A Mask?" on 26th August was offensive and insensitive. For those who have missed it you can see it here. http://www.straitstimes.com/Prime+Ne...ry_271843.html

The online version of ZaoBao is widely read by mainland Chinese and often qouted in Chinese press. The feedback was that the Singapore understand and support China. I just hope they don't get to read our English language newspapers. It is difficult for most mainland Chinese to accept the fact that our newspapers are independant from ..
It is obvious that editors are oblivious to the development in China as all articles over the years carry the same underlying message.
It was astonishing to see some journalists picking up old news from Chinese language China forum, and using those as story lines or side comments to validate their demonisation of the Chinese society and the Chinese government.

#3

Procrusteans, there are also Thai, Indian, Malay, Vietnamese, etc., prostitutes in Geylang. And if you venture out of Geylang, you can find Causcasians too. Stop complaining you do not have choices. If you are willing to part only with ten dollars for a shot, what do you expect? Film star material?

And there are also constructions workers from other nationalities in Singapore too. And if you can afford to travel to Europe, Australia or the US, you can find white men and women sweeping floors, disposing rubbish, cleaning toilets and polishing your shoes.

Stop making sweeping statements. It is reserved for people with road-sweeping mentality. Period.

The show was good, no doubt. I even read that within the Olympics village, the Chinese had a 24-hr eating place for the athletes and olympics officials to go to. If I were a guest there, I would most probably feel very honoured and spoilt. I would have nothing to complain about in terms of the show and the treatment towards foreign guests.

But maybe the Olympics is so important to the Chinese, that the Chinese have given pragmatism the back seat. As I understand it, the Chinese spent billions of dollars on the show. Is it so important to do that? I am not saying that China should have been miserly for the Olympics, but has China given too much budget to the Olympics than required? Wouldn't the money be better spent at helping the victims of the Sichuan earthquake, rebuilding the infrastructure that was destroyed in the disaster? After all, the Olympics lasts only for a few weeks, and there goes the money spent on it, while the rebuilding of the infrastructure of Sichuan is for a lifetime.

Many Chinese may be proud of the show, but I am not sure how many foreigners actually thought it was foolish to splurge so much on the Olympics. Sorry for being a party pooper with my post here.

the chinese government will spend not just billions, but trillions, to rebuild sichuan

for the US$43b "spent" on the olympics, most of the money went into lasting legacy for the beijing residents and visitors to beijing : new airport terminal, express train from airport to downdown, second highway linking airport to downtown, a few new subways to ease the crowd around the city, new stadiums for the 23 million people to use, the hostels used by the olympics are given over to the various universities...pollution control measures are proven workable.....all these are money well spent for the well being of the beijing population

the US$100m for the opening and closing ceremonies are extravagant...but who can blame them for throwing such a lavish party for all the participants and spectators ?

There are lots of places where you can eat 24 hours in most cities in China! From street vendors to many posh restaurants they are open till late in the night.

The estimated US$100m spent is 'over estimated' but these money goes into the lunch box and allowance for the performers, the custome makers in Zhejiang, our even the to 6 approved fire work factories, it all goes right back into the economy. Hot dog was RMB 3, beer was RMB 5 at the games not 3 nor 5 pounds.

If Singaporeans are not careful, our children and grand children may become construction workers and what have you outside Singapore. It is likely that more Singaporeans may have Chinese boss when PRC companies start acquiring Singapore companies as in the case of Hong Kong.