Western media provoked the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the International Olympic Committee responded

[Global Times special correspondent in Germany Aoki Global Times reporter Gao Lei] The competitions of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are in full swing, but some Western media are focused on provoking: At the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on the evening of the 4th, the Cross-country skier of the Chinese sports delegation, Xinjiang girl Diniger and the Nordic biathlon athlete Zhao Jiawen, together as the last torchbearer, lit the main torch of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which was interpreted by some media as "China took this opportunity to fight back against Western resistance"; on the evening of the same day, A Dutch journalist was persuaded to leave by volunteers while standing in a traffic control area outside the Bird's Nest, which some Western media dismissed as "Chinese security officials driving away foreign journalists." IOC spokesman Mark Adams responded to these questions one by one at a press conference on the 5th. He said Diniger was a Winter Olympic athlete, she had the right to participate in any ceremony, and that her selection had nothing to do with where she was born; and that what happened to Dutch journalists was an isolated incident that would not affect foreign media coverage of the Winter Olympics.

On February 5, the regular press conference of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games was officially launched at the main media center. At the first press conference, IOC spokesperson Adams, Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee spokesperson Yan Jiarong, Beijing Winter Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremony Director Zhang Yimou and other guests answered questions from domestic and foreign journalists at the main venue and sub-venues. Most of the questions asked by Chinese and foreign journalists focused on the scientific and technological and artistic presentation of the opening ceremony and the prevention and control of the epidemic at the Beijing Winter Olympics, but there are also a very small number of journalists whose focus has always been inseparable from politics.

Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao" reported on the 6th that when foreign media interpreted The prominent role of Diniger in the report, as well as the arrangements for many ethnic minority representatives to participate in the admission of the Chinese flag at the opening ceremony, they believed that this seemed to be Beijing's response to international accusations that "China violated human rights in Xinjiang". NBC anchor Guthrie said in his commentary on the footage that the arrangement was a "statement issued" by China and a "direct response to Western countries." Bloomberg quoted experts as saying, "Diniger is a young, talented athlete with the potential to win the first cross-country skiing medal for China in 4 years." But her national identity cannot be ignored, and There are a large number of young and talented athletes to choose from in China. ”

According to Reuters reported on the 5th, IOC spokesman Adams said at the press conference on the same day that Diniger was selected as one of the two torchbearers for the opening ceremony finale, which has nothing to do with where she comes from: "This is an athlete who participates in the event here. No matter where she comes from, no matter what her background is... She has every right to participate in competitions and to participate in any ceremony. Officials from the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee said at the press conference that the last torchbearers to enter the stadium were selected based on their year of birth and represented Chinese athletes from the 1950s to the 2000s. The last stick, Diniger and Zhao Jiawen, both belong to the "00" post. Adams said, "I think the concept of encompassing all generations (athletes) is great."

Another incident that aroused the attention of foreign media was: on the night of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on the 4th, the Dutch public broadcaster NOS posted a message on Twitter that the media's Beijing correspondent Deng Das was "dragged away from the camera" by Chinese security personnel when he was reporting on the scene in Beijing. Although the media outlet said in a later tweet that its reporters were safe and completed the show in the following minutes, it went online and said that "unfortunately, this has become a reality that journalists often face in China." Agence France-Presse said that Adams responded to the matter at the press conference on the 5th, saying that it was an unfortunate incident, but the reporter quickly reopened the live broadcast with the help of the staff. The global times reporter's investigation found that the area where the reporter was located at that time was a temporary control area that had been reported by the Beijing police as early as the 3rd, and the security personnel should be reasonable to persuade him to leave.

"The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is just the beginning: China will surpass us." Deutsche Telensews published a signed article by editor-in-chief Florian Hams on the 6th, saying that elegant art, strong physique, and fair competition among the world's best athletes can be expected in Beijing. "When some people complain about the Beijing Winter Olympics, don't forget that these impressions reflect only a tiny fraction of China." Moreover, their image of this huge country is distorted. "China is now not only the most dynamic country in the world, but also the most attractive country in the world." Above all, the degree of diligence shown by the people who live there is something that even our hard-working Germans cannot keep up with. ”