While there have been waves of Chinese students studying abroad fighting the image painted of their motherland, the Chinese students studying in the United States are no different.
Ever since protesters tried to interrupt the Olympic Torch Relay,
Chinese students studying abroad have been energized showing loyalty and support to their motherland of China. This has happened throughout Europe, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and many other parts of the world.
During the Olympic Torch relay in Canberra, Australia, the number of Chinese flags had outnumbered Australian flags. There was a strong presence of Chinese students in Canberra. Most of the protests revolved around China’s crackdown on the protests in Tibet, which had brought forth condemnation from the international community.
The same thing happened through many parts of Asia. South Korea was by no means an exception as anti-Beijing demonstrators and Chinese students clashed during the duration of the torch relay through the streets of Seoul. In the case of South Korea, they protested the treatment that North Korean refuges endured by the Chinese.
Chinese students have spoken out, whether it has been civil or aggressive. Now, colleges across the United States have felt the same thing from Chinese students. These students are now speaking out against the portrayal of their country.
One such school is the University of Southern California. A Tibetan monk was a guest at a lecture hall, which was filled up by predominantly Chinese students. These students threw all sorts of hardball questions at the monk. These questions were very harsh and brutal.
The crowd got very hostile when the monk tried to answer and refute. One student had to be ejected from the room by campus security for throwing a water bottle at the monk. This is a clear sign that Chinese students studying abroad are speaking out at the image painted of their home country. They neither recognize nor do they like the image that has been painted.
Anger and hostility looks to be widespread. Despite the condemnation of the crackdown of Tibet by China, pro-China students have struck back. Most of the students said that they do not acknowledge the crackdown in Tibet. During the crackdown, His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama had accused China of committing “cultural genocide.” Chinese Premiere Wen Jiabao called it nothing but a pack of lies.
The death toll in the wake of the crackdowns was disputed between the pro-Tibetan independence protesters and the Chinese government.
In an interview, the Chinese students have expressed anger and frustration that the rest of the world thinks they are brainwashed by the government. They added that they have been misunderstood as well.
However, the actions by the Chinese students are questionable at least. Instead of joining in a debate, the students revealed to emulate the infrastructure of China’s government. One prime example would be drowning out dissent. The drowning out of dissent has been present in both Australia and South Korea.
At the same time, there is the possibility that the students are doing this out of fear as well. It is expected that these students will return home to China after finishing college.
This gives off the indication that there could be a rift in relations with China. Some of the countries in Europe may boycott the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics, set to be hosted in Beijing this coming office.
Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a convert to Buddhism and a supporter of Tibet said that he would be boycotting the Olympic Games.
Elie Wiesel along with many other Nobel laureates came to the aid of the Dalai Lama and condemned China’s crackdown on the demonstrations in Tibet.
While meeting with the Dalai Lama in India, US Democratic House Speaker Nanci Pelosi gave a warning to China that the world was watching over its shoulder. China’s government fired back and called Pelosi “disgusting.”
While in France meeting with French President Nicholas Sarkozy, presumed US GOP nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona said that such a crackdown was unacceptable for a world power such as China.
The IOC had urged the world not to boycott the Olympics due to China’s crackdown on Tibet.
But China had fired back. However, this is a clear sign that China would be unable to keep the games and politics separate.
The Chinese government had fired back. It was supported by the mass of Chinese students studying across the globe.
However, Tibet is not the only issue that looms over China in what could be considered a PR nightmare for the Beijing Olympics. The clashes in South Korea have brought forth the issue of treatment of North Korea dissidents.
Many human rights groups will bring up the issue of China’s record of human rights. And then, there is the issue of Darfur.
