In contrast, Tokyo admirably went ahead with the much larger Summer Olympics last July, albeit following a delay of a year. Even so, the nervous, spectator-free mood is a contrast to Beijing’s.
The Beijing Winter Olympics conclude on February 20. For those who managed to get past the (Western) narratives of Xinjiang Uighurs, Peng Shuai, Taiwan, fake snow, Covid restrictions, bad food, or simply the spectre of communism, what has been established is the fact that Beijing has become the first city to host both the summer and winter Olympic Games, and with much aplomb in a Covid world.
Just look at the opening ceremony, with its use of digital (almost Metaverse) effects — that is a very visible display of China’s willingness to flex its technology prowess while managing control (inside the Games’ bubble).
