Protests Against Olympics Being Held In China Intensify

The Bush administration and most western governments say they will not support any boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in China over that country's handling of unrest in Tibet and its human-rights record in general. But on the streets of Europe—and perhaps soon elsewhere—demonstrators are angrily challenging China's actions, seeking to disrupt the ceremonial route of the Olympic torch. If the protests gain force, governments in Washington and around the world will very likely face growing pressure, at minimum, to step up criticism of China over its crackdown in Tibet. And that could inject an emotional—and unpredictable—element into U.S.-Chinese relations at a time when Washington is counting on Beijing for diplomatic help on North Korea and Iran, improved military cooperation, and continuing its role as a key purchaser of U.S. public debt. China is using the games—and the long, globe-circling torch route—to highlight its arrival as a world power.