Opinion | Beijing 2022: Tokyo Olympics and the lessons learned as China prepares for sparkling clean Winter Games

Tokyo 2020 pulled off a successful Games during the Covid-19 pandemic, paving the way for China to do the same in February

Beijing 2022 officials will have an opportunity for a soft power win, and also a chance for China to show the world its friendly side amid fierce geopolitical tensions

Reading Time:3 minutes

China will get the chance to let the world in this February and use the power of sport to unite divided fronts. Photo: EPA

Published: 9:19am, 11 Aug 2021Updated: 10:28pm, 11 Aug 2021

The unprecedented space, or lack thereof, between two editions of the Olympics (less than 180 days now) creates yet another parallel between Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022.

Both have and will take place amid the shadow of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, both are in Asian countries, both are rife with controversy, and both have and will look to use the Games as a soft power win. The furore over Tokyo 2020, scorn directed at the organisers and the International Olympic Committee, cast a dark stain over the build-up right until the opening ceremony.

As the Games begun, the athletes took to the starting blocks and the medals came out along with the tears. All was forgotten. The Olympics still possess an unrivalled ability to engulf media like no other sporting event. Coronavirus cases spiked in Tokyo throughout the Games, athletes tested positive for Covid-19, but all people wanted to read about was Edgar Cheung Ka-long nabbing fencing gold and Simone Biles getting the twisties.

The Chinese Communist Party were surely taking notes, realising a few key things they can use to their advantage. One: controversy is synonymous with the Olympics now, and its own internal issues around alleged human rights abuses against the Uygur Muslims in the Western region of Xinjiang, the origin theory concerning Covid-19 and a Wuhan lab, and Hong Kong’s national security law, will hit a fever pitch as the weeks turn into days leading up to the Games.

But the press can’t compete with Olympians, as Olympic backlash will turn to Olympic fever overnight once the opening ceremony kicks off on February 4 at the Bird’s Nest. Try as they may, politics can’t compete with this sporting monster, Tokyo proved it and we saw it right here in our very own streets.

The President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach (left) hands over the symbolic flag to the Mayor of Beijing Chen Jining. Photo: TNS

For fleeting moments, Hong Kong, a city under immense pressure on multiple political fronts, and still heavily imbued with Covid-19 restrictions, found itself whipped into an Olympic frenzy. As Siobhan Haughey took to the pool looking for her second silver, Hongkongers flooded malls, restaurants and got shoulder to shoulder in front of big screen televisions from Sheung Shui to Stanley.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x