Spielberg should address his concerns over Darfur to Bush
Steven Spielberg was ill-advised to mix politics with the Games by resigning as the artistic adviser to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.
Mia Farrow and all the other high-profile personalities and stars should not follow the advice of various activists to attack China as Spielberg did.
They should first lobby President George W. Bush, who did not send any troops to Darfur and has no regrets in not doing so. More importantly, President Bush will be going to the Olympics regardless of Spielberg's resignation.
Without understanding China's position, how can Spielberg, Farrow, fellow Americans and activists attack China instead of first attacking President Bush for doing nothing to help Darfur?
China is doing its part by helping with Darfur's infrastructure, such as power stations and water supply, and financial and military support for the African Union and the UN.
What has the US done so far? If Sudan does not sell its oil to China there are others who will want their oil. If Sudan does not buy arms from China, others will be willing to sell them, just like the US, with its double standards, sells hi-tech arms to Taiwan while recognising Beijing's 'one-China policy'.
Unfortunately the Sudanese government does not need hi-tech weapons, otherwise the US would want to sell their hi-tech weapons to them as well.
I respect Spielberg as one of the world's greatest filmmakers but his resignation has disappointed me and over a billion Chinese.
China was honoured when he first expressed his wish to contribute to the Beijing Olympics and appointed him artistic adviser, but he has embarrassed the country with his ill-advised resignation by mixing politics with the Games.
It would have been more effective had Spielberg lobbied the American and the world's film industry to produce more socially responsible films (the fun and creative films that he is best known for) and not resigned without first understanding what China has been doing and what the US has not been doing.
Robert Chua, chairman and founder,
Health & Lifestyle Channel
