China is facing criticism from many sides, including the spreading of the Coronavirus, human rights violations, and the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, among other issues. Other countries are also concerned about China’s attempts to gain more power. China’s long-standing problems with environmental challenges.
China is currently in a soup, with only two weeks until the Olympics begin. According to reports, China is experiencing a high rise in Omicron and COVID-19 cases. Despite tight lockdowns and a vaccination rate of nearly 90%, China is experiencing an alarming rise in COVID deaths and cases. Omicron cases were reported in seven of 31 provinces and major cities in China.
China struggles with a series of issues ahead the Beijing Olympics
China is also struggling with a variety ofEnvironment issues that could pose a threat in fulfilling its targets to combat Climate Change. Earlier this month, President Xi Jining visited Beijing and stated that he wants a’safe and simple’ Olympics event. He also said that China intends to show its superiority in all aspects of life, including technology, sports, and COVID-19 control. The President XI Jinping’s government may find it difficult to prove this. Aside from the fact that the ‘Zero COVID” policy doesn’t seem to be true, a HK Post report indicated that there is a high chance that a large percentage of the population could become infected by the new virus because Chinese vaccines are becoming useless.
Even worse, Beijing, where the Olympics are being held on February 4, may not have reported a high number of deaths and infections. International athletes, trainers, staff, and spectators have increased concerns due to the fact it may not be safe for them to attend the event. The Beijing Olympics could create a new crisis and could spread the COVID virus and Omicron virus. This is a worrying fact.
China: Environmental concerns
ANI cited HK Post to indicate that the Winter Olympics will be completely dependent on artificial skis. They also mentioned that it could be hazardous for the environment to produce large quantities of artificial snow. According to the report alone, the Alpine skiing event will require 1.2 million cubic meters of snow. It is important that snow quality must be maintained to meet the International Snow Federation’s strict requirements. This can have a dangerous impact on the water-stressed area that has very little natural snow.
China has ordered its mines and power plants to increase coal production in order to address the country’s power crisis. This is a clear violation of China’s plans to reduce carbon emissions and combat the climate crisis. According to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the country produced 4.07 billion metric tonnes of coal last year, 4.7% more than 2020. This is in direct opposition to President Xi Jinping’s declaration of China becoming carbon neutral by 2060.
As the Olympics draw near, many people, both athletes and spectators, are feeling anxious and fearful. The Olympics have been controversial for years, and there have been recent developments that have added to it. It is still unclear how successful the Beijing Olympics will be in light of the mounting environmental problems and the rapidly rising number of virus cases.