Dharamshala, 1st February: The meeting between International Olympic Committee Chief Thomas Bach and the leader of the world’s second-largest economy underscored Xi’s determination to ensure that the Winter Games, which will begin on February 4, are not overshadowed by political outbursts over a range of human rights issues, from tennis star Peng Shuai to Uyghurs in Xinjiang and Hong Kong democracy activists.
Thousands of athletes from democracies that respect free speech are converging on Beijing’s Olympic bubble with no shortage of things to protest against in an age where everything in the West is politicized, while foreign viewers are unable to attend the Winter Games owing to visa restrictions. This puts Xi in a dangerous position in a year when he’s attempting to avoid making any mistakes ahead of a twice-decade leadership conference, where he’s anticipated to win a third term in office.
According to Ling Li, a lecturer at the University of Vienna who studies Chinese politics and the Communist Party, China’s goal during the Olympics will be to restrict domestic media coverage of any acts of protest by athletes who fall out of line.
Beijing is very concerned about Peng’s case. Since she uploaded a 1,500-character article on social media in November alleging an affair with a retired top Communist Party official, which aroused concerns she was pressured into sex, China has tried to calm fears about her safety. Following the post, she vanished from public view, prompting the White House, the Women’s Tennis Association, and some of tennis’ biggest names to express concern for her safety.
Peng has since made several public appearances, including last month in an interview with the Chinese language Lianhe Zaobao daily in Singapore, in which she denied accusing former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault. That hasn’t placated her fans, who are sporting T-shirts with the words “Where is Peng Shuai?” on them. While the event’s organizers first prohibited spectators from wearing the clothing, they later overturned their decision after an outcry in Australia.
Following up on a phone chat he had with Peng in November, Bach of the IOC hopes to meet with her during the Winter Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been chastised for assisting China’s damage-control efforts in order to achieve a more successful Games.
According to Jules Boykoff, a political science professor at Pacific University in Oregon and author of four books on the Olympic Games, the Winter Games were a chance for China to “clean up” its image on the international stage.
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