DALIAN, China/BEIJING -- With the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics fast approaching, the authorities are cautioning participants against political speech, with discipline on the table for those who cross the line.
"Any behavior or speeches that are against the Olympic spirit, especially against Chinese laws and regulations, are also subject to certain punishment," said Yang Shu, deputy director general of Beijing 2022's International Relations Department, in a recent online briefing for the Beijing Games by the Chinese Embassy in Washington.