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On the eve of the arrival of the International Olympic Committee's
evaluation commission, Beijing Mayor Liu Qi said the Chinese capital
will show itself in a frank manner and he hopes foreign media will
make objective reporting on China.
"We will not paper over our shortcomings," Liu said on
Sunday, February 18. "We don't worry about this, for we are
making fast progress and confident to be true to our commitments."
"I hope foreign media will make objective descriptions of
developing China," added Liu, also the President of the Beijing
2008 Olympic Bidding Committee.
The 17-member IOC evaluation commission will start their four-day
inspection of Beijing next Wednesday. Beijing is the first candidate
to meet IOC assessment.
Liu applauded the idea that the IOC inspectors' mission is essentially
technical not political in nature.
"The politics should not be mixed with sports," Liu said.
"We are firmly opposed to any attempts to foil Beijing's bid
on the excuse of human rights."
IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch had explained the inspectors'
mission in a letter to head of the IOC evaluation commission Hein
Verbruggen.
Samaranch writes that the IOC Executive Board considers the role
of the Evaluation Commission is to evaluate the ability of each
candidate city under the best possible conditions for all participants
-- primarily the athletes.
Liu said that political discrepancies cannot justify the criticism
on Beijing's bidding, which has enjoyed nationwide support.
"China has been conducting dialogue with the world on the
human rights issues," Liu said. "We believe these political
problems should not prevent the Chinese from realizing their aspiration
to see the Games to be staged in Beijing."
(People's Daily 02/19/01)
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