It’s looking like a better question with each passing day.

Lest we lose sight of the real issue, this is what Sarkozy is considering boycotting.

“Any act to disrupt the Olympic torch relay is shameful and unpopular.” – Qin Gang,
Chinese spokesman.

I wonder how Mr. Qin would describe China’s recent behaviour in Tibet.

I think we’re fast approaching the point where a boycott of the Olympics’ opening ceremony is the minimum obligation of every country that claims to respect human rights.

Ms Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, also called on the international community to denounce Chinese rule in Tibet.

Good for her. I wish other important politicians had her courage.

There are a collection of photographs here, taken by The Economist‘s China correspondent. It might take a while for the page to display.

From The Economist. It seems to be uglier that I at first thought:

Within a couple of hours, fires were blazing in the streets across much of the city. Some buildings caught fire too. A pall of smoke blanketed Lhasa, obscuring the ancient Potala—the city’s most famous monument, which covers a hillside overlooking the city. It is the traditional winter palace of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, who fled into exile in India after an abortive uprising in 1959. Some of the demonstrators shouted slogans like “long live Tibet” and “long live the Dalai Lama”. One group trampled on a Chinese flag in the middle of a main road.

The rioting seemed primarily an eruption of ethnic hatred. Immigrants have been flocking into Lhasa in recent years from the rest of China and now run many of its shops, small businesses and tourist facilities. Tourism is the mainstay of Lhasa’s economy and has been booming in recent years, not least thanks to Tibet’s first railway link with the rest of China, opened two years ago. The visitors are mainly Chinese.

While this behaviour is understandable to some degree, coming as it is on the back of 50 years of oppression by another ethnic group, I’d like to take this opportunity to back away from my gung-ho ‘let ‘em have it!’ attitude of few posts back. Yes, China is very much the brute of this story, but that doesn’t excuse Tibetans taking out their frustrations on Han Chinese living in Tibet.

James Fallows piece from the Atlantic website. (Subscription required).

Panda slideshow to accompany the above. (Free).

If I ever visit China again I’m definitely going to the Wolong Nature Reserve, or “Panda Land”, as Fallows’ slideshow refers to it.

Yes, he may be one of the worst US presidents ever, but he’s the first to have the courage to meet publicly with the Dalai Lama, and this at a time when Sino-American are of unprecedented importance. Of course, some people can’t resist taking shots at him even when he does something good:

According to this post on the rather excellent Foreign Policy blog, China has decided to end its hitherto practice of donating giant pandas to curry favour with other governments. From now on, pandas will only be leaving China on ten-year leases, at a cost of $1 million a year to the fortunate host nation.

Me and Ormy with chopsticks

Shane and my soon-to-be-removed hair

Shane, Aussie Shane (in background), myself and Eoin, in the Forbidden City

Self-taken picture of Anthony

Shane looking cool

On the Great Wall

Pictures courtesy of Anthony.

Anthony has some pictures, with more to come hopefully.