Hope for China's Olympic PR?

Last month, when China marked one year to go before the start of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, the slogan was "We Are Ready." In one sense it's largely true: Beijing is far ahead of past host cities when it comes to building stadiums and other infrastructure for the Games. But when it comes to handling the scrutiny that will come with thousands of journalists tromping into town, China has much to learn. Take the response to a news conference by the press freedom ngo Reporters Without Borders. Foreign journalists at the event were detained by police for a couple hours before being allowed to leave. (The blog Imagethief had this take on the various pr blunders.)

Now there are inklings that approach may change. A commentary yesterday from Xinhua, the official news service, acknowledged that politics are an inevitable companion of the Games. (The South China Morning Post has a story here, but it's behind a pay wall. For Chinese readers the original report is here.) The commentary points out that people will use the Games as a platform for their views. Per the SCMP, the piece goes on to tell fans:

If you come across incidents of this kind, you have to resist them firmly and report them to police, volunteers or any venue managers nearby.

But please keep a cool head. Engaging in a physical conflict is the worst decision you can make.

Sage advice. One hopes that something similar is being given to the cops and security guards who will be working next year. There's no way they can shove a hand in front of every nosy camera or detain every journalist who witnesses a demonstration. And every time they try, it will propel the protest further than had they ignored it.