Olympic update: China closes factories for the games
The run up to this year's games in Beijing has already been overflowing with controversy. Whether it's human rights violations in Tibet, the Chinese government's ties to Darfur, or just the fact that Beijing has a nasty smog problem -- it's been one black eye after another for China's reputation on the world stage. Chinese officials may look the other way when it comes to issues like Tibet or Darfur, but when it comes to the smog problem they have a plan that they hope will turn it all around. China will shut down the heaviest polluting industries during the Olympics (July 20th - September 20th). That ought to work, right?
Apparently, officials couldn't come up with a compromise that's less draconian than literally ordering their citizen to stop working for two months. That ought to look really good on their human rights scorecard -- citizens be damned, we've got company.
The government is placing a ban on all digging and concrete pouring in the city, and 19 heavy polluting companies have been told to lower their emissions by 30%. Similar restrictions are to be place on industry in the surrounding provinces.
Other measures include banning about half of Beijing's 3.3 million vehicles, closing gas stations, and banning outdoor spray painting -- good luck at enforcing that last one. All this, just for the summer games that the rest of the world is boycotting.
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