Until the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, most foreign perceptions of China came from news reports about protests. The Council on Foreign Relations, called it a "public-relations nightmare." The CFR said "demands for political liberalization, greater autonomy for Tibet, increased pressure on Sudan, better environmental protection, and an improved product-safety record threaten to put a damper on the country's coming-out party."
China PR Nightmare
The steady stream of negative news reports painted China as a grey, polluted, merciless dictatorship with millions of oppressed people. However, 17 days of around the clock olympic coverage were beamed around the world. Billions of people saw a very different China.
China PR Success
The skies were blue, the parks green and the streets litter free. The city was modern, sleek and boasted brilliant architecture. The people were smiling, happy and enthusiastic. World famous sports icon Yao Ming carried the Chinese flag at the opening ceremonies next to a boy who saved classmates in the Sichuan earthquake. The world saw hope, happiness and promise of the future. They saw nothing of the cold, dark dungeon of a country the media portrayed before the olympic games.
China image Worldwide
Many will argue that China carefully manipulated what was seen by the rest of the world. There is no question that the Chinese government worked hard to show themselves at their best. However this is no different than what any other country would do when appearing on a worldwide stage. When company comes over you clean up your house.
Beijing Olympic Game protests
Many will argue that China distracted the world from controversial issues. China has issues like every country. People both inside and outside China object to Chinese government practices. There are also people both inside and outside the United States who object to American government practices. The image of both China and America are mixed around the world. The difference is that China looked better after the olympics while the US looked the same.
China Public Relations
The power of television is its ability to take viewers to another place and show them what it is like. Through the magic of television, billions of people experienced China for 17 days. That experience was glorious. Few would argue that the 2008 Beijing Olympics were the most spectacular ever. The opening and closing ceremonies were epic. Everyone NBC showed on television raved about their experience in China.
This view is shared around the world. The Times of India observes that the "Beijing Olympian tryst with the world on the political plane has taken on a new dimension. Brand China has managed to overcome its biggest hurdle, which is its image in the eyes of the western world"
China Victory
The net result is a public relations victory for China that will likely contribute to their already booming economic prosperity. The last impression billions of people around the world have about China is one of awe. Whether the perception matches the reality of China is irrelevant. Image is about perception and China won that battle.
Kent Ninomiya - Kent Ninomiya is a veteran journalist with more than 22 years experience as a television news anchor, reporter, writer and executive.
