CavJ in Qinhuangdao

You are in Qinhuangdao which is right by the sea, virtually in Manchuria. Beijing is a couple of hundred of miles away inland, so it's a bit like saying if it's foggy in Brighton, it'll be foggy in Leeds, which of course is meaningless.

Scott, beijing, china

Selrahc, Qingdao.

You speak of Afghanistan and Iraq. Islamic fundamentalism is now coming into China. You will have a similar fight on your hands before long. Do not be too quick to condemn others.

Colin, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Liu, London you ask if I have lived in China, no, well not for years at a time but I have travelled to China over 20 years, speak, read and write Mandarin, have travelled into the provinces, lost my “guide” and spoken to ordinary Chinese. My informed assessment is China is ruled by dictators.

Lloyd, London,

You're no better than us and on and on and on. Forget the abuses that China, US and the UK have heaped upon the rest of humanity and concentrate on how our Paula with her asthma will be able to complete the marathon let alone win it. The IOC made a bad choice and all the athletes will suffer.

John Rennie, Beare Green, Surrey

Selrahc, Qingdao, again your only argument is to say look at the West. We are talking about China now. In 2012 there will be protests, the protests regardless how big or loud will be accepted and is a right of free speech unlike in China in 2008.

Lloyd, London,

Liu in London

In our democracy things are far from perfect. We lobby and argue to get change and we vote our government out to put in another one. You cannot do that in China. To even suggest such a thing risks arrest and imprisonment. That is a fundamental difference between UK and China.

Colin, Cambridge, United Kingdom

When did the occupation, killing in Iraq and Afghanistan turn into history? How many weapons have UK and US sold to some unstable regions? I am looking forward to the surge of protest by Britons against 2012 Olympic Games for British brutal killing in Afghanistan and Iraq!

Selrahc, Qingdao, China

Liu, London the invasion of Iraq is a disgrace and even worse is Guantanamo bay. The difference is I am allowed to say Bush and Blair we wrong and Bush in my opinion has committed crimes against Humanity. NO one in China is allowed to say this of their leaders.

Lloyd, London,

Liu, London.

Lloyd is not citing the cultural revolution but bad things that China does now. These are self evident. Everyone is aware of China's support for tyranical regimes. That is why the world is most wary of China. Your Olympics 'new and charming' cannot simply wash away misdeeds.

Colin, Cambridge, United Kingdom

LIoyd, London

HA HA Invasion in Iraq in 2003 was already put in 'history' by you, so why you keep citing 'cultural revolution' as an evidence of dictators or thugs govt, which happend 40 years ago withouth seeing utter difference 40 years later? why you always contradict yourself?

Liu, London,

Colin

You basically have already assumed CHN is so different from what the rest of the world behaves. You are sending misleading info to ordinary people. How do you knwo, have you been living in CHN? Human nature is the same, all people actually are behaving the same worldwide. Be fair.

Liu, London,

Liu, London.

I was talking about the CCP and China, not Iraq, USA and UK.
Please stick to the subject. I am pointing out that the rest of the world is very wary of China due to current and past very bad policies. You have a great deal to repair. I suggest you get rid of the CCP for starters.

Colin, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Liu, your only argument is to point at the West’s history not look at China today, China is run by dictators who refuse personal and religious freedom. There is free access to the internet, they oppress Tibet, they have a one child policy enforceable by fines..

Lloyd, London,

Colin

I have to say it is only for the european to accept China as 'New and charming' and is not even to do with what CCP did. Why you think America and Britain deserve to be acceptable and charming when you invaded Iraq recent days and colonised and enslaved wordwide.

Liu, London,

Juan, Zheijang

It is difficult for rest of world to accept China as 'new and charming,' when your CCP does many bad things. Your news never tells about Chinese weapons supplied to regimes, including Burma, Zimbabwe, Darfur. China supplied guns to Pol Pot. He murdered one third of Cambodian people

Colin , Cambridge, United Kingdom

The fervent defence of the Olympics that the Chinese respondents on this site launch has more than a slight tinge of govt. manipulation. To the point where the same message has been posted three times in an attempt to ensure that the only visible message is a positive one.

Manny, Brisbane, Australia

Looks like another great leap backwards. The Olympics should be held in an area of China without these smog problems. But is there anywhere free of pollution left in China? Why do the CCP imagine all this industrialisation is good for people. Piles of consumer goods just make you unhappy.

Boris, Belgravia, United Kingdom

China is trying her best to hold an Olympic feast for people all over the world, trying to make a suitable and good environment for athletes, and trying to expose a new and charming China to the world. Why shoud we focus on its relative weak points and neglect its great efforts. Believe in China.

Juan, Zhejiang, China

China is trying her best to hold an Olympic feast for people all over the world, trying to provide a suitable and good environment for athletes, and trying to expose a new and charming contry to the world. Why should we focus on its relative weak points and neglect its efforts. Believe in China.

Shou Juanjuan, Zhejiang, China

China is trying her best to hold an Olympic feast for people all over the world, trying to make a suitable and good environment for athletes, and trying to expose a new and charming China to the world. Why shoud we focus on its relative weak points and neglect its great efforts. Believe in China.

Shou Juanjuan, Zhejiang, China

it isbetter than london.

jin, huhehote, china

Chinese people seem to have adaopted themself to the "environment". They are trying to believe the smog is "mist". But, for the people from out side of China, it is certainly "polluted air".
For athletes, running in such pulluted air is almost suicide. IOC must have predicted such situation.

keisuke, Brussel,

So, the Chinese have decide that Autumn will start on August 7th now, have they? They believe that they are so powerful that they think they can manipulate both the seasons and the climate?
It's obvious, that despite all the measures they have taken, there is still a risk of serious pollution.

Andrew Harler, Evesham, England

The only chance they have is if they line up several million electric fans one side of Bejing and turn them all on at once - creating a strong wind that blows the pollution away.

Hmm I wonder if it would work?

Aileen Grist, Oldham, Manchester, England

beijing 's weather is really good enough for health .

strogy, xiamen, china

They measured it today, 28th July, on live TV (BBC) and reading was roughly 164 right next to the Olympic Village. Would you want to train and compete in that smog ?. Perhaps China should have used somewhere less polluted.

alex, london, uk

Yes but you are on the coast and subject to coastal fog, Beijing is not, it has relatively dry air which would normally lead to clear air conditions. As a pilot that flies regularly into Beijing, I can count on one hand the amount of days per year that are clear, it is thick with industrial success.

Andy, Hong Kong,

Technical tests will reveal what it is. Surely China must have got to grips with this by now. There has been plenty of time to improve air quality in Beijing. Events will be very difficult if athletes cannot breathe properly. I believe there were smog problems in Athens but that was sorted out.

Colin, Carmarthen, United Kingdom

I'm directly east of Beijing on the coast and for two days a heavy sea-mist has been rolling on-shore. This is weather, not pollution. As the environmentalists say, 'don't believe what your eyes see. The air outside my place right now is fresh but looks very thick.

CavJ, Qinhuangdao, China