China in the headlines – 23 June 2008

In the latest wrap-up from news outlets and bloggers across the globe:

BEIJING PROMISES OPEN MEDIA ENVIRONMENT FOR OLYMPICS
Reuters – This summer's Beijing Olympics will offer a "zero refusal policy" for media interview requests, state media said on Saturday, as China tries to deflect criticism about its press controls in the run-up to the Games …

POLICE DETAIN PARENTS AFTER CHINA QUAKE CITY PROTEST
Reuters – Police in southwestern China on Saturday detained and also beat up some parents who tried to protest outside a city hall, demanding answers to the school collapses in last month's earthquake which killed their children …

CHINA VOWS TO 'SMASH' DALAI LAMA
ABC Australia – The Olympic torch relay has finished in Tibet with Government officials vowing to smash the Dalai Lama …

CHINA TO BAR PEOPLE WITH AIDS, OTHER DISEASES FROM OLYMPICS
USA Today – China is putting out the welcome mat for foreign tourists during the Olympics -- as long as they're not sick …

"AUTHORITARIAN DELIBERATION" ON THE CHINESE INTERNET
RConversation Blog – Earlier today in Beijing, Chinese President Hu Jintao did a webcast with staff of "Strong China Forum", an online forum run by the People's Daily Online …

TORCH RELAY REACHES SEALED-OFF TIBET
Guardian – The Olympic torch today wound its way through the streets of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital and scene of bloody riots in March, amid tight Chinese security …

LOCALS PROTEST COKE'S SPONSORSHIP OF BEIJING OLYMPICS
Altanta Journal-Constitution – About 20 protesters gathered outside the gates of Coca-Cola's headquarters on Friday to decry the beverage company's sponsorship of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing …

JESUS IN CHINA
PBS Frontine/World – A massive wave of Christianity has been sweeping across China in recent years, and the Chinese ruling party, officially atheist, is struggling to figure out how to control it ...