The 'new China' turned 57 last Monday and in the capital a million and a half flag-waving patriots swarmed into Tiananmen Square to celebrate. Throughout the day and the rest of the week, this impossibly large urban space was like the proverbial packed kitchen at a Saturday-night party. Not that you could appreciate and see the spectacle because of the human crush, but the square was a floral treat, boasting scaled replica models of China's historic sites: the Potala Palace, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the Three Gorges Dam among them. Of course, National Day is repeated annually, and last week's and the one remaining before August 2008 will act as dress rehearsals for China's 'greatness and coming-of-age party' - the Olympics. Many among the crowd made the large models of the Olympic mascots, the Five Friendlies, a favoured point of reference. Cameras whirled and flashed as extended families, friends and couples clutched one another in smiling poses in front of Beibei, Jingjing, Nini, Yingying and Huanhuan. As the hordes milled around this centrepiece, clutching either a national flag or Beijing 2008 standard - or both - one mused about the theme of the half million strategically placed flowerpots ... 'All the people of one mind', was the message. The euphoria over the country's birthday, and the prospect of staging the games, was palpable among this vast cross section of compatriots, many of whom had travelled from far-flung provinces to witness the dawn flag-raising ceremony, and wave a flag or two of their own. Many agreed the 2008 Olympics would be a pivotal moment in their nation's history. 'Wow! The Olympics is great for China! We will be the best,' exuded Lie Weidong, from Hebei province. 'We will show the world how great China is!' echoed Yuan Rungang, from Suzhou. 'We will get married on 08.08.08. It's lucky for us Chinese and it's the Olympics!' announced Michael Gao, 28, an information technology technician and Beijing native, clutching his fiance, Linda Zhang, a 26-year-old kindergarten teacher and native of Anhui province. What is their favourite Olympic sport and who is their favourite athlete? Worryingly, such questions drew blank faces among this part of the crowd. Prompted by the name 'Liu Xiang', the fastest man over 110 metres hurdles, a chorus of, 'Yes, Liu Xiang!' rang out through large smiles, and flags waved in quick, robotic harmony. Standing in China's centre and historical symbol of political power, the square's current theme of 'All the people of one mind' unfortunately took on eerie connotations, and raised further questions. The Chinese are constantly being told their nation is great and the Olympics is a chance to prove it to the world. The identification of sports champions such as Liu calls upon the Chinese to celebrate their power and strength. But in a country where modern history is still a banned subject, understanding about the differences between unbridled nationalism and sporting patriotism is thin on the ground. This arguably puts the 2008 Olympics in danger of becoming more than just a platform for competitiveness through sport. It is fast becoming an event for competitive political ideology, much like the games of the cold war. Will the 2008 Olympics be a celebration of sport - an opportunity for people to demonstrate innocent love and pride for their nation through the sweat of their compatriots on the sporting field? Or will the games be a self-centred, two-week orgy of unchecked nationalism fuelled by jingoism and party rhetoric and media control - a mass ad campaign for China's hybrid and confusing, yet seemingly workable, politics? Going by the lack of sporting knowledge and concern in Tiananmen Square this week, the latter threatens. The world in 2008 will see a happy, flag-waving, prosperous and organised China full of winners. They will witness a rising, mighty country governed by an authoritarian socialist government that permits naked capitalism, yet bans the freedom of expression such wealth can buy. Moreover, the watching world might be offered a strong argument against Western democracy and liberalism. We might be offered an argument for strict, oppressive socialism with capitalist characteristics, where everyone appears content and happy to wave a flag and cheer and adore their leaders, sportsmen and country. Over its century-long history, the principled aims of the Olympic Charter to promote peace, serve humanity and improve the human condition through sport have, alas, all too often failed in the face of global political realities. Ancient and modern, the Olympics have always been influenced by, and helped to shape, the face of international politics. However, the International Olympic Committee and the Chinese government could seek a precedent. They could attempt to eradicate international political rivalry, suspicion, jingoistic nationalism, cheating and corruption in 2008. They could begin by promoting better understanding of the Olympic spirit among the people in the time remaining, and do away with the mentality of 'Have flag, not really sure why - but must wave it'.
