The London Olympics began much the way the Beijing Olympics went – with China dominating sports few knew existed. This time, it was the women’s 10 metre air rifle, won by Yi Siling, writes Simon Rabinovitch in Beijing.
No matter, gold is gold, and the nation rejoiced. The state broadcaster interrupted programming for the anchor to read a congratulatory message from a senior Communist party official. She exhorted Chinese athletes to “win more honour for our homeland and our people”.
More than any G20 meeting or UN summit, the Olympics illustrate the tension at the heart of Chinese foreign policy. “Conceal our brightness and avoid attention” has long been the guiding principle. But the newer and often contradictory objective is to get the world to give China respect. So when the Olympics arrive, Chinese officials are forced into an awkward shuffle between humility and pride. “We must be modest and unassuming in learning from others,” said Dai Bingguo, China’s top diplomat.