The Olympic Games Are Always Political for China
At a time of economic malaise, citizens are questioning why the government is spending so much in the quest for gold.
Trying to monopolize sporting prowess.
Photographer: Andy Cheung/Getty Images
China has long invested heavily to push its athletes to triumph against the West, as a way of highlighting the merits of the Communist Party. These Olympic Games are no different, but for one key aspect: Citizens are openly questioning why Beijing is spending so much money on a sporting event when many at home are facing bleak economic prospects.
A 716-strong Chinese contingent is competing in 30 sports, 42 disciplines, and 236 events, a record according to the foreign ministry. Using the event to trumpet the benefits of Communist Party rule is a narrative that dates back to the 1950s, when under Mao Zedong elite athletes were trained for Olympic glory as an international projection of soft power. The inspiration came from the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, the first time the Soviet Union competed and was extremely successful. That gave Chinese cadres a template of how a socialist country could beat Western-led democracies in a global arena.