Beijing 2008

Canada is using the Beijing Olympic Games to promote the country to Chinese tourists.  Canada still doesn’t have Approved Destination Status (ADS) with the Chinese government.   

If the two sides can negotiate an agreement, it could open up massive tourism to Canada, which is something Derek Galpin with the Canadian Tourism Commission says there is huge demand for. 

“Canada is seen as a very safe friendly country and once we do get ADS, we’re going to see a lot of tourists coming to visit.  We’re now in the build up to 2010, there are opportunities to build relationships with media here.  We do a lot of tours for media and travel agencies to promote Canada.” 

He says there’s huge demand among Chinese to visit places like the Rocky Mountains and Niagara Falls.  If ADS is approved, he expects a 40% jump in overall visitors in the first year.

         Students for a Free Tibet have organized several small protests during the Olympic Games in Beijing. Cam MacMurchy is in the Chinese capital, and tells us many visitors feel now is not the right time, nor place, for protests.

        Before the games even began, a group unfurled a banner near the Bird’s Nest reading One World, One Dream – Free Tibet.  They were quickly arrested, but that hasn’t deterred the group Students for a Free Tibet.
       Just this week eight more protesters were deported from China for unfurling another banner. The question is, is now the right time to make political statements?
       Athletes I spoke to today agreed, saying the Olympics are for them to perform – not to embarrass the hosts.

When Olympic visitors aren’t in the stands cheering on their home countries, chances are you’ll find them at a large building on Beijing’s main thoroughfare called the Silk Market — a shopping paradise for tourists.

They have everything in here from clothes and electronics, to pearls and Nintendo Wiis. Pretty much anything you need to look for.

One of the things you have to do here well, though, is bargain. There’s a couple of shoppers here that we’ve just found.

Cam:  Hi there, can I ask you a quick question? I’m from Canada.  Just wondering what you think of the Silk Market?

Shopper:  I love the Silk Market. There’s nothing like this in the U.S. and I wish we had one in the U.S.

Cam:  What sort of stuff are you buying here?

Shopper:  Some Ed Hardy, some Polos, a little bit of everything.

Cam:  And how about your bargaining, pretty good?

Shopper:  Very good bargaining skills, coming where I’m from.

Well, there you have it.  The Silk Market is a must stop for people coming to Beijing.

It was a festive atmosphere outside Beijing’s Worker’s Stadium on Tuesday night after Canada dropped a 2-1 decision to Sweden in women’s soccer.

Strobe lights flashed and music played as thousands poured outside of the stadium  following Canada’s loss.

People said the crowd was evenly split between Canadian and Swedish supporters, although Swedish flags could be seen everywhere at the entrance.

Canada took the loss, but will still advance to the women’s quarter-finals.

Most fans exiting the stadium were waving the blue and yellow, but perhaps that’s because they were feeling boisterous after a victory.

Despite the loss, Canada’s team has earned a spot in the quarterfinals.

They can be found everywhere in Beijing: uniformed officers guarding embassies, directing traffic, and watching everything happening in the city. But as Cam MacMurchy tells us, the Olympic Committee says these guards are so serious, they are scaring the visitors.

They stand on every street corner, and along every major avenue in the Chinese capital: tone-faced police officers, barking orders and keeping an eye on everything. More than 100,000 of them have been deployed around the city to ensure safety.

But, a Norwegian International Olympic Committee official said Beijing’s security guards and traffic police need to smile more. The traditionally stone-faced communist authorities are turning people off, the official argues.

Traffic cops, police, building security guards and military officials can be seen all over Beijing, and their stone faced glares might make some people feel a little uneasy.

Others said the guards may look menacing, but if you approach them and say “Ni hao” (hello in Chinese), they’ll say hi back and give you a warm smile.

The lopsided 101-70 victory for the U.S. basketball team over China didn’t mean the game was a major disappointment for the home fans. Cam MacMurchy is in Beijing, where some say the game had great political significance.

Tian Wei, a regular host on China Central Television, likened the game to the famous ping-pong diplomacy back in 1971. That was the first time Chinese and American athletes squared off, and led to the historic visit by President Richard Nixon the following year. She said Chinese people are aware of the basketball games’ significance.

The U.S. Dream Team vs. Yao Ming game was one of the early must-see Olympic competitions for Chinese sports fans. The home fans are basketball crazy thanks to the success of Ming. The scene inside the Wukesong Stadium was electric, according to Wei.

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Meanwhile, below is photo taken from outside one of the venues:

Some are calling them the “no fun” Olympics.

Just a few months ago, people were sipping drinks on patios or enjoying their favourite Chinese dinner under the stars.  Now, with the Olympics in town, one would be hard pressed to find a patio anywhere in the city’s entertainment district.

Q: I noticed you used to have seating out here, what happened there?

“There’s not a lot during the Olympics.”

Q: Is that all bar and restaurants?

“I think it’s for all the places.”

That’s Paul, who owns Beijing’s sports bar institution, The Den. 

Besides patio closures, bars and restaurants are now faced with a mandatory 2 a.m. closing time.  In addition, longtime residents are complaining that some establishments are now charging a 15% Olympic surcharge.  Owners are now realizing it’s never too late to cash in on the Games.

The death of Todd Bachman, an American tourist in Beijing, has left many wondering if the city is safe.  Bachman was stabbed to death by a Chinese man at the ancient drum tower on the weekend, before the killer jumped to his own death. 

Countless visitors have arrived in Beijing to know they feel safe walking around day or night, even in the city’s dark alleyways, which is why Bachman’s death is such a surprise.

Amanda is visiting Beijing from San Diego and says she still feels safe being in the city.

“I think it was just a random act of violence, I don’t think it was aimed at an American on purpose… seemed kind of random, that could happen anywhere.”

Police are still trying to figure out what motivated the killing.

U.S. officials say Bachman and his wife were not wearing anything that would identify them as Americans.

China has won its first two gold medals on opening day, but the country hopes it’s only the beginning.

The pressure on some of the Chinese athletes is immense.

China doesn’t release figures for how much it spends on sports, but experts think it’s far more than the $130-million the U.S. pours into sports development programs.

The money paid dividends on day one, as gold medals were won in women’s weight lifting and men’s shooting.

China is hoping to beat the US and finish first in medal standings for the first time in history.

Foreign media were wowed by the Olympic opening ceremonies on Friday night. However, it only got a lukewarm reception in some parts of the Chinese capital.

No expense was spared to impress the world during China’s opening ceremony, but some people are a little more restrained in their praise than many foreigners who watched on television.

Some Chinese felt certain important parts of their history were ignored during the ceremony, or that the torch lighting event didn’t fully showcase Chinese characteristics.