If China is losing who in the world is winning the race. I didn't know there was a competition going on. I guess the winners must be the ones going on about who is losing!

Glynn, Kingston,

The Human Rights lobby always say China is deteriorating, I can't remember a time when they didn't say that. Year after year they say the same thing. If that was true, I'd expect everyone in China is now living in Gulag by now.

Keith, HK,

China is still primarily an agrarian country with many people surviving on subsistence based farming or factory jobs. Similar to the UK around the time of the Industrial revolution when our human rights record was none too hot. Of course there are problems, there are also many positive aspects too

Maxiao, Shanghai, China

China will be a better country if people can get same results from google.com and google.cn. Why cannot the government just do it now? What is stopping them?
All Chinese should work together to do a better job to fix the problems instead of keep denying.

Lisa Wang, London, Canada

Politics is just dirt. Don't pollute Olympics with dirty politics, please. China is trying its best to host a successful Olympics. And I think this year's Olympics will be the greatest of all. Cheer for Beijing!

celia, New York,

China cannot lose the 'human rights race' - it never entered it.

Chris, London,

Maybe there is some defferences between cultures. I am just a stutent, my opinion maybe naive, but I believe that we Chinese have trid our best and we must do better !!

Ann, xi'an, China

For a country that was set back by 50 years during the cultural revolution, China has already made tremendous progress both politically and economically. With a population of 1.3 billion, changes can't happen overnight. Look at what has happened when the West tried to change Iraq?

Vincent Wong, Milton Keynes, UK

the biggest human rights in China is China has subsisted 1.3 billion people.Does UK or USA can do this?So if you don't know the situation please shut up!

Guo Hua, Shanxi, China

Every Chinese knows China is far from perfect. China's per capita GDP is just over 2000 US. As a developing country, China is doing very well.Look around the world, you would agree. Things have improved a lot in China.If you dislike Chinese,stay away from anthing Chinese, no big deal at all.

shengqi, beijing,

I will also be boycotting the Olympics on TV, a golden to catch up on all those recordings I have not got round to watching...

cww, Ipswich,

It is laughable for your guys to pretend to have high moral ground. You don't. My whole classmates in Nanjing Univ. in China have closely watched timesonline for two months right now. We care about democracy and human right as much as you do, but not in your style. We have our own culture tradition!

lihongming, Nanjing, China

Of course,china lose the race,because we did not follow US and UK invade other country.We are no nazi,so we lose the race of invade.

Lee, Tieling, China

A Chinese person recently told me that human rights are a 'western concept' that have no place in China - that pretty much says it all about chinese attitudes. This is why China may take global economic leadership but can never take social or political leadership - they have nothing to aspire to.

Kieron , London, UK

Mao built modern China on 30 million corpses. His modern heirs have inherited his despicable immorality. Thet even have the temerity to justify their illegal supply of arms to the Sudanese in Darfur. This Olympic Games is the biggest farce since 1936 when Hitler claimedto believe in the Olympic idea

Dr.Stuart M. Brown, Rickmansworth, UK

Well I wont be watching the olympics this time .I hope many others do the same ,when China can stand next to Mugabe and Sudanese governmet. blood will be on all the hands of those who do watch. The west may not be perfect ,but its a whole lot better than China.

Dully, London, Uk

In the UK the right to criticise the government is respected, but did that stop our PM from lying to Parliment, and using our taxes to invade Iraq? How has the Iraqis benefitted from our freedom to berate Tony Blair? China has a long way to go, but this is the best government in China for 200 years.

Dave, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

I notice many of the Chinese who defend their own country's human rights are not resident in China.

The only thing I have to say is: enjoy your ability to disagree while you can. When you go back to China, you might as well forget it.

John F, London,

It is laughable for your guys to pretend to have high moral ground. You don't. My whole classmates in Nanjing Univ. in China have closely watched timesonline for two months right now. We care about democracy and human right as much as you do, but not in your style. We have our own culture tradition!

lihongming, Nanjing, China

Naive of the IOC to believe China's promises about human rights. The communists survive by allowing economic growth & stamping on dissent. They have never shown respect for the people. Moreover, so many middle class Chinese I know unthinkingly repeat government mantras of progress. No debate exists

Alex M, London,

Both morality and logic escape several of the posts on this forum. Presenting isolated examples of Western deficiencies does not excuse China of repression; where a quarter of the world's population are denied the rights given in most democratic societies.

SimonM, Canterbury,

--China is losing the human rights race, while west is winning the China bashing gold.
Come join the China bashing the newest Olympic sport!

hgao, Beijing,

Human rights issues are everyone's concern, Hai of Denver USA. In this instance, it became a public debate the moment a public pledge was made by Lui Qi that has not been honoured. Don't make promises you don't intend to keep works for countries as well as individuals.

Angela, Epping, Australia

People in my country as well as the UK and USA and other countries readily campaign against places like Guantanamo Bay and against the Bush administration. These people are still in circulation. What are the chances of someone in Beijing speaking against the treatment of Tibetans?

Mike, Adelaide, Australia

I'll say that we Chinese are doing good, and we'll do better!Human rights are not something overnight. We are working hard but at the same time ,we have our own standards and principles.

Lee, jj, China

China's human right should be judged by the Chinese people themselves. It's none of your business! Please stop barking!

Hai, Denver, USA

It sickens me that China keeps getting away with murder - literally. Our policy of engagement is an excuse for western greed for cheap goods. We will live to regret it as they become a superpower we built up which we can no longer say no to

I shall be boycotting the TV coverage of these Olympics

Paul Owen, Birmingham, Uk

The Western record on human rights is a long, long way from perfect. But to seriously contend that this means that the state of utter repression and tyranny prevailing in China cannot be attacked is ludicrous. The USA and Britian are only 2 of the countries telling it like it is - ie, monstrous.

Kim Birley, Upper Woodstock, Australia

I don't agree with the 42 days custody law - and therein lies the difference between China and the UK. I'm able to disagree without fearing I'll be detained by the authorities and imprisoned or shot. The West isn't perfect, but to compare our human rights situation to that of China is just silly.

Jon, Peterborough, UK

The West has no right to tell China what to do when it's own human rights record is down the pan. What a lot of hypocrisy to tell others their deficient when the west has places like Guantanamo Bay and the 42 days custody law. Is nothing sacred that the west uses as a political tool.

Xahir, Leeds, UK