The Olympic Legacy in China

I wasn't able to attend the Olympics this year, but was in Beijing last year. My impression is that they "exported" all the spitting taxi drivers from Beijing to Tianjing.

The 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, was said to have costed $15 billion:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0721/p04s01-wogn.html

China's cost in 2008 is estimated at $42+ billion and counting. Pravda.ru cites:
http://english.pravda.ru/sports/game...ing_olympics-0

The total amount of the Games will be exposed afterwards. Beijing authorities have invested 280 billion yuans ($40.9 billion) in the development of the city infrastructure, the transport system and the ecology from 2001 to 2008.

In addition to the development of the city, the total budget of the Beijing Olympics includes the cost of operations conducted by the Olympic Committee (over $2 billion) and the construction and reconstruction of sports facilities (about $1.9 billion).

So the actual Olympic event's estimate cost is $3.9 billion, versus city infrastructure improvement came in at $40.9 billion.


Adding to the cost is the economic cost of shutting down industries around Beijing, and keeping cars off the road, plus recent earthquake relief, etc. It's debatable if China can recoup the cost, but you can't really argue that infrastructure improvements are bad.

My only wish is that they had spent a fraction of that budget to upgrade all public toilets to western standard, around Beijing and nearby tourist areas (i.e. Great Wall). If any of you have been there you'll know what I mean. Portable toilets inside the Forbidden city? Ugh.

I think the high cost for this event had a major impact on military spending. Seen any new PLAN DDG's lately?

I've been hearing that public toilets are the worst thing in Beijing, after years wonder how much they have changed it

I think it will hard to see him win any more gold in the future. He is showing his age for that. A Chinese proverb says "长江后浪推前浪" which translate in to English "In the Yangtze river the rearward wave pushes the forward wave".

I think the high cost for this event had a major impact on military spending. Seen any new PLAN DDG's lately?

They did not pour all the money in this year, if you average it out, it is less than 0.1% of the GDP. The Greek olympic cost them about 5% of their GDP, that's huge! The PLA aren't willing to build more ships this year has more to do with the possible bad publicity before olympics. I mean, even China did take precautionary measures, western media still find many things to talk about. Like olymapic as part of "total war" program ect...

My only wish is that they had spent a fraction of that budget to upgrade all public toilets to western standard, around Beijing and nearby tourist ar

I've been hearing that public toilets are the worst thing in Beijing, after years wonder how much they have changed it

You mean squat toilets?

LOL

Are the majority of public toilets still the kind that you squat over? At least last them I was back in Beijing they had stalls for them lol. Before you would just squat right next to the next guy without any kind of separation or barrier...

Well, the public toilets around tourist trap area (Wangfujing) was improved somewhat, there's separators between the stalls but still no doors. All squat type. We used the toilet in the hotel as much as possible before leaving. The loo by Great Wall was terrible.

I understand that it's costly to install western style restrooms, but the Forbidden Palace, Great Wall, Wangfujing, etc. are THE major tourist attractions for visitors to Beijing. Considering the tourist dollars that roll in, they should spend a little more to improve the restroom facilities.

All the critics about China around the world, well, despite that, something are obviously been done RIGHT in china, as china is heading into prosperity, becoming better and better in every field, that's a trend thathave been continuing for over 30years now, 10 years u can call it because of a "coincidence/chance", 20years you ca call it cuz a "a capable leader", 30 years I can only give the credit to "sound political structure" and "competent goverment tradition".

Cuz despite all the problems China is facing, everything is changing, nothing stays the same, just a matter or magnitude, and China, is clearly changing into the better, despite all the claims of contrary and all the predictons about the immnent collapse of China that never seems to end, yet, time after time never any one of them seems to ever come true either.


The truth is, the fast growing middle class in china are indeed increasingly becoming the driving force behind chinese political and value change, yet what some people outside don't want to see is that it's the very same middle class that are the most fiece supporter of stability and order in China, these are also the most patriotic or someone would say "nationalistic" group of people in China, with a stable economy and family structure, sofisticated, educated, with a much more understanding and info of rest of the world, democracy and liberalism attract them, yet they will not blindly agree with whatever value and opinions the west have to say like those naive students once did during Tiananmeng square protest 1989.

The middle class will become the backbone and direct china's furture, not any other class, not the super rich entrepreneur, not the communist party, not even the large sized countryside peaseants or the once dominanting worker class.

I hate squat toilets......

Well perhaps they should learn from the country across the strait and have proper toilets.....

The Chinese would rather spend money on guns and other military equipment than toilets. Thats the truth right there.

BTW Yehe watch out on what you are typing....moderator might not be pleased. No Politics.

Squat toilets are originated from Japan actually, still exist in japan, and yes I hate them too.

And everything is about politic, especially when u are talking about xxx rather spend on defence than on toilet

At least what I said is nothing but some fact and insight about todays china, not trying to attack anyone, while your comment is just pure bashing based on political reason, guess same comment could be said about japan according to your logic

Oh well...just be careful.....you don't want to get the bad side of a moderator

Originally Posted by kliu0

I hate squat toilets......

Well perhaps they should learn from the country across the strait and have proper toilets.....

The Chinese would rather spend money on guns and other military equipment than toilets. Thats the truth right there.

BTW Yehe watch out on what you are typing....moderator might not be pleased. No Politics.

im sorry i must have missed something..which "country" across which strait are you talking about?

Originally Posted by RavenWing278

im sorry i must have missed something..which "country" across which strait are you talking about?

We all know from his constant flame baits and snide condescending remarks what his purpose is. Don't take his flame baits, and the mods will deal with him sooner or later.

Originally Posted by FriedRiceNSpice

You mean squat toilets?

LOL

Are the majority of public toilets still the kind that you squat over? At least last them I was back in Beijing they had stalls for them lol. Before you would just squat right next to the next guy without any kind of separation or barrier...

My mom was first to China in 1969, yea rather long time ago, and this is what she described about toilets in China: A public toilet that everybody went in without locking the door, you squat down beside the person next to you without any meaning barrier, there was only a small piece of wood (half-oval in shape) covered you from the front...

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h...BvQXAD92N6E0G0

Well i think that should resolve that matter.