But, because of the Olympics, journalists will come from all over the world. They'll bring their cameras and show the world the facts at every level, from the lowest of the common people up to our largest stadiums. They will let the world know China isn't the repressed country or unfriendly, isolated state that they all thought it was.

We can use the Olympics to open a window to even better things. The country's been open for so many years. We've been constantly putting ourselves out there, trying to broadcast the facts of China's culture today, but there are still many countries that don't understand us and have a very low view of us.

China has been bullied since the 1840's. England used cannons, gun powder, China's own national invention, to attack China in the Opium War. China had to pay lots and lots of silver and England stole many precious things.

China has had to do its best to withstand the battering of the world's great powers. There was the Japanese invasion in the 30's and 40's. Then the war in North Korea in the 50's. China didn't want to fight, we had just started our country, but MacArthur bombed the northeastern tip of China. If some country's planes fire-bombed Kansas or Los Angeles, would Americans put up with that? Of course not.

Throughout history, China has always been on the defensive. From the Xiongnu raiders in the Tang to the Mongols that overran us during the Song dynasty to the Japanese in the 20th century, every time the Chinese have fought it has been to defend our country, not to expand our borders. What war has China ever started?

China loves peace more than other countries. China has always believed in Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Confucianism says: "Hold peace as value." Buddhism talks of "benevolently giving way" and "using one's body to feed a tiger." I give my body to the tiger so that he will eat his fill and not eat other people. Taoism has a phrase: "Govern without doing." I don't need to force you to do anything.

This peacefulness is ingrained in our culture. Chinese people eat with chopsticks. Chopsticks can't be used to hurt people, they have round ends. Western people eat with forks and knives. Both of these can be quickly turned around to attack people. Europeans love to eat rare, tender meat, so they need a fork and knife to cut it. But the Chinese believe that taking a knife to the table is very impolite. As soon as people see you your knife shines out. That's not "holding peace as value."

Everyone always talks about how China has attacked and conquered Tibet, but that's not true. Back in the Han dynasty, when Tibetan and Chinese relations were close, the emperor sent one of his daughters to be the queen of Tibet. Since then Tibetans have had Han blood in their veins.

Years later, the Qing went in to save the Tibetans from being conquered. They were saving their kinsmen. When the Qing stayed in Tibet, they weren't taking anything. The Tibetans had been part Chinese for a long, long time. There's no differences between us and the Tibetans. The Tibetans are just one of the flavors that make up the Chinese palate.

Tibet and the Tibetan people, as part of China, have received huge economic benefit. Up in the high elevations there was no electricity. People burned yak dung for fuel. Now electricity is common. They can watch TV. Highways have been constructed. In the past, Tibetans said: "to get to Beijing it takes two years." Now you can just ride a train. Food, clothes, they've all become modern. And having such a powerful country protect them, what is bad about that?

Look at America with the Indians, or Britain with the Irish. The Irish say Ireland must be independent. Then why does England retain control of Northern Ireland? This is just the way the world works. Everywhere is the same. If a Northern Irish person comes to China, we have to say that they're British. Their government is the British government. If an American Indian comes, we'll say they're American. I can't say that they're an Indian from America. Isn't this how it works? I don't know why people have to keep bringing up Tibet.

I don't think any country should be talking about another country's business. Westerners always yell: "Human rights! Human rights!" But, while Americans live in 300 square meter houses and drive Benzes, Africans have nothing to eat or drink. Is that human rights? The most basic part of human rights is the right to live. When people can't even survive how can you talk about human rights?

Whether you're a big country or a small country, all countries have their own ways of getting by. Just because you're strong doesn't mean you should impose your race's priorities on other people.

When America attacked Iraq they declared: "We're going to make Iraq democratic! We're going to make Iraq free!" But what was the reason? Was it to give Iraq democracy? Greenspan has said it - it was just for oil. Just for the benefit of a few rich companies. They get opportunities out of Iraq, they can make a lot of money, and they can use this to support the Republican party. Isn't this the way it is?

Has China started any wars? Have we forced our way in and stolen oil in the Middle East? Have we robbed Japan of its territory? No. The Chinese believe in "peace as the rule." You deal with your problems, I'll deal with mine.

China is trying to make a new, brighter future for the world. We want to use the Olympics to help other people understand us. We want to spread peace. We want people to know that our getting strong will not hurt other countries.

Sometimes advancement can help the whole world. When Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, when he took that step, that wasn't just for one country, that was for the whole world. We hope the Olympics can be like that. We have another saying in China: "Anything that you don't desire, don't desire that it happen to others." This is very important and this is how we conduct ourselves as a country.

____________________________________________________________________________

Fei Yibing, 35, is the Beijing Engineering Institute's director of media. He talked to Michael Armstrong, Sweeble's Beijing correspondent, about what he thinks the China Olympics will deliver.