China's Hopes for the Beijing Games

{
  "authors": [
    "Minxin Pei"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "asia",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "AP",
  "programs": [
    "Asia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "East Asia",
    "China"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Economy",
    "Trade",
    "Military"
  ]
}

In The Media

China's Hopes for the Beijing Games

With only days to go before the Olympic Games, Minxin Pei joined a panel of experts on the Diane Rehm Show to discuss what the Chinese government hopes to gain from hosting one of the biggest spectacles in sports.

By Minxin Pei

Published on Aug 4, 2008

Source: The Diane Rehm show

With only days to go before the Beijing Olympics, Minxin Pei joined a panel of experts on the Diane Rehm Show to discuss what the Chinese government hopes to gain from hosting one of sports biggest spectacles. “The biggest difference between the Beijing Olympics and previous Olympics is that, this time, the entire nation of China is hosting the games. In previous games, cities host games. So the degree of politics attached to the games is much higher this time than previous times.”

Click here for the full interview.

About the Author

Minxin Pei

Former Adjunct Senior Associate, Asia Program

Pei is Tom and Margot Pritzker ‘72 Professor of Government and the director of the Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies at Claremont McKenna College.

Recent Work

In The Media
How China Can Avoid the Next Conflict
- Minxin Pei
In The Media
Small Change
- Minxin Pei

Political Reform Economy Trade Military East Asia China

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Article
The Two Logics Driving Japan’s Security Policy
Japan’s revision of its three strategic documents reflects an intention to keep the United States engaged in the region while Japan fills any vacuums of U.S. power to preserve the Indo-Pacific order.
Ryo Sahashi
Commentary
Caught in the Middle: Chinese Biotech Firms’ Divergent Responses to U.S. Sanctions
Chinese biotech companies have been on the receiving end of U.S. economic coercion. Yet their responses have differed significantly because firm and state interests are not uniformly aligned. For Washington, treating all Chinese tech firms the same, irrespective of their actual interests, risks pushing them farther into Beijing’s corner.
Xue Gong
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Russia’s Rubber-Stamp Duma Elections Are Exposing Schisms in Putin's Regime
In the discussions made possible by the State Duma election campaign, one question is being asked more and more loudly. “What next?”
Andrey Pertsev
Commentary
Emissary
Inside the Global Race to Erode a Battery Manufacturing Monopoly
Over the past decade, China has moved from marginal player to major producer of all things batteries. The United States, Europe, and others are aiming to balance the market.
Milo McBride
Commentary
Emissary
Is the Russia-Ukraine War Vibe Shift Real?
Media coverage suggests Kyiv’s fortunes have changed. That shift may be important, but it only goes so far.
Dara Massicot, Aaron David Miller, Andrew S. Weiss

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Japanese troops take part in a counter-landing live fire exercise as part of the annual Balikatan joint military drills on May 04, 2026 in Laoag, Ilocos Norte province, Philippines.

Article

The Two Logics Driving Japan’s Security Policy

Japan’s revision of its three strategic documents reflects an intention to keep the United States engaged in the region while Japan fills any vacuums of U.S. power to preserve the Indo-Pacific order.

Ryo Sahashi

Robot arm with disposable test tube virus sampling in laboratory

Commentary

Caught in the Middle: Chinese Biotech Firms’ Divergent Responses to U.S. Sanctions

Chinese biotech companies have been on the receiving end of U.S. economic coercion. Yet their responses have differed significantly because firm and state interests are not uniformly aligned. For Washington, treating all Chinese tech firms the same, irrespective of their actual interests, risks pushing them farther into Beijing’s corner.

Xue Gong

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Russia’s Rubber-Stamp Duma Elections Are Exposing Schisms in Putin's Regime

In the discussions made possible by the State Duma election campaign, one question is being asked more and more loudly. “What next?”

Andrey Pertsev

Two people in blue PPE standing over large metal rolls

Commentary

Emissary

Inside the Global Race to Erode a Battery Manufacturing Monopoly

Over the past decade, China has moved from marginal player to major producer of all things batteries. The United States, Europe, and others are aiming to balance the market.

Milo McBride

people watching a huge column of smoke in the distance

Commentary

Emissary

Is the Russia-Ukraine War Vibe Shift Real?

Media coverage suggests Kyiv’s fortunes have changed. That shift may be important, but it only goes so far.

Dara Massicot, Aaron David Miller, Andrew S. Weiss