Oriada

Almost 30 years to the day after his death, one has to wonder what the great helmsman would make of reports like this one in yesterday’s Guardian about China’s burgeoning polo scene.  Well, perhaps burgeoning is not quite the right word. What’s one step above hypothetical?

In fairness to Xia Yang, the man behind the polo club, he has organised an impressive line-up for his team.  The chairman of oil giant Sinopec, and the CEO of the company that built the rail line to Tibet are apparently two of the (however many people comprise a polo team/group/set/herd) who will be pulling on the red jerseys for a game/chukka/innings against Australia next month. 

Xia, though, is adamant that he and his club are not elitist.  "Polo is not about money, it is about being a gentleman," he says.  And being a gentleman evidently necessitates owning a horse and having enough free time to galavant around on it with billionaire tycoons.  But it’s not elitist.  Just to be clear on that. 

Xia also has plans for an official national team, and big ambitions for his outfit that now boasts only 20 members. "I really hope that one day I will have the opportunity to play against Prince Charles and the Sultan of Brunei." 

But, remember, it’s not elitist. 

On a similar vein, China Daily today carries an AFP report on the nascent movement to popularise cricket in China.  The Asian Cricket Council evidently sees China as the key market for the development of cricket. 

"Once China comes on board in a significant manner, then cricket will truly be a global game. Chinas presence will encourage other countries to try harder to make an impact," said Asian Cricket Council chief executive Syed Ashraful Huq.  Unfortunately, however, one gets a sinking feeling from this article that the ACC is betting on success based on the same equation that has burned so many before. To whit:

(spalshing oodles of cash on promoting something in a country where no-one has ever heard of it)

X

(1.3 billion would-be consumers/users/players of the aforementioned thing)

=  $$$$$$$$$

"As soon as China breaks through, I foresee the total global revenues for cricket increasing by up to 30 to 40 percent," said Mr. Huq.

Anyway, all good wholesome fun, I’m sure.  But those who can’t afford a thoroughbred, or don’t have a cricket oval marked out in their back gardens, needn’t fret.  This week there’s also good news for the financially embarrased: Tesco is bringing dirt cheap ready meals to China.  The FT revealed yesterday that the supermarket giant will begin selling Tesco-branded valuepack products through its Chinese joint venture, Hymall.  It will be introducing up to 500 own-brand products, including readymeals and instant noodles.

Wen Jiabao, friend of the foreign media? So says China Daily, reporting on a speech Wen gave in London yesterday in which he "stressed that China would stick to the policy of opening-up to the outside world".  Wen apparently assured his audience at the China-Britain Business Council that the state would protect the rights of foreign media in order to "assure the smooth flow of the economic and financial information".  There was a sting in the tail, though, as he intimated that this protection would be available only to those who play by the Chinese government’s rules.  "We will work to ensure that financial and economic information will flow uninterrupted. We trust that the foreign media will … observe Chinese laws and regulations," he is reported to have said.

More of the same at the Foreign Ministry yesterday, too, where officials are putting on their friendly faces in an effort to dampen talk of a media clampdown in advance of the 2008 Games.   "China will continue to improve its work and provide more service, convenience and help to foreign media and journalists," said spokesman Qin Gang.  But before you grab your dictaphone and rush off to interview that political dissident under house arrest in Tibet, Mr. Qin also reminds you that "China also hopes foreign media and journalists can observe the laws and regulations of their resident country".