Opinion | AP reporter: China continues Asian Games dominance, surpassing 150 medals on day 5

By Augustus K. Yeung

INTRODUCTION

The task of faithful reporting is as significant to salivating viewers or readers as the issue of distorting facts in honor of weird patriotism. The former sanctifies while the latter vilifies.

As a sports journalist, what can David Rising of AP faithfully do?

What David did – in his first article in the opening days of the Asian Games – was flagged for taking a cheap shot at China, for which he has been gently chided, leading to his Rising in subsequent articles that follow.

In this present account, Mr. David Rising is doing a better job – by reporting the hard facts of the Asian Games, capturing the significant performance of China, and showcasing its "Asian Games Dominance."

Chinese athletes are determined to beat their competitors in the tracks and fields – not in battlefields. This is the Chinese team's motive. But why?

To be the strongest nation is China's unabashed global ambition and national goal – to rid it from its past image as the "Sick man of the East."

Being the strongest nation – in business and industry – may very well be China's ambition. Global business and finance would be one sure way of boosting its economy, and industry is another avenue through which China can modernize itself, brandishing it as a nation.

As China sees it, war is destructive. Consider the Russia-Ukraine conflict, one waging war – only to slaughter the other.

As Xi Jinping repeatedly puts it, human understanding (which is synonymous with people-to-people contacts) is the precondition to averting war.

Through sports competition – both China and U.S., the world's two most powerful nations – can jointly generate excitements, create economic incentives, channeling human aggression, and blind ambitions – by beating the other bloodily – in the stadium.

China won almost 300 medals – 132 gold – five years ago at the Asian Games in Indonesia, with South Korea and Japan the main challengers…

"China blew past the 150-medal mark yesterday on Day 5 of the Asian Games, more than double the number of second-place South Korea as the home nation continued its decade-long domination of the event." Reported David Rising, AP.

The hosts were bolstered by multiple golds in a home sport yesterday, as Chinese athletes won the men's 70-. 60- and 56-kilogram finals in Wushu martial arts, as well as the women's 60- and 52-kilogram finals.

He Feng, who took gold in the 70-kilogram final by beating former Asian Games gold medalist Mohsen Mohammadseifi of Iran, was trailing in the first round and credited his coaches for helping him adjust.

"It is mainly the result of the tactics and training by the coach, then the most important thing is mentality, which determines success or failure," he said. "I always tell myself not to give up, persistence is victory."

Host nations traditionally get a home-field "medal bump," and He said the crowd also helped keep him going.

The Asian Games feature 12,500 participants from 45 nations and territories – more than the 10,500 from about 200 delegations expected at next year's Paris Olympics…

"Similarly, the two countries were in second and third place for overall medals on Day 5 this year with another 10 days to go." Reported David Rising.

The Asian Games feature 12,500 participants from 45 nations and territories – more than the 10,500 about 200 delegations expected at next year's Paris Olympics.

ESPORTS: Despite its early dominance, China will have to settle for a battle for bronze in the popular League of Legends online video game after falling Thursday to the strong South Korean team led by Lee Sang-hyeok.

Lee, better known in the online gaming world as "Faker," is commonly called the League of Legends GOAT – Greatest Of All Time – and the South Korean team has yet to lose a game.

China was thought to be a challenge in the closely watched match, but South Korea was able to win the best-of-three series 2-0.

"I hope we can learn from today's lessons and play better tomorrow," said Chinese player Tian Ye, also known as "Meiko." "I hope the players can adjust themselves well after today."

SHOOTING: Kazakhstan won two golds and a silver in shooting events yesterday, while North Korea earned a gold, silver and bronze.

Kazakhstan won gold in both the women's 10-meter running target and the skeet mixed team competition. It took silver in the women's team's 10-meter running target as well.

North Korea won gold in the women's team 10-meter running target, and silver and bronze in the individual version of the same event.

In other shooting competitions, India won gold in the men's team 10-meter air pistol event, and Vietnam won gold in the individual version of the same event. (Source: MDT/AP)

CONCLUSION

Isn't it good to see that even "rogue" nations such as North Korea are playing in the Asian Games? Isn't sports competition – among Asian rivals such as China, Japan and South Korea – better than bloody battles?

Being seriously misunderstood, the CPC now strives to tell the world that its political and military mission must be diametrically opposed to that of the U.S.

China as embodied by CPC is committed to doing good and stabilizing the world situation by first self-strengthening the nation in international sporting events. And next in political economy.

For that, if American journalist, Rising works harder, and find out that China – as a role model – is working hard for its fellow ASEAN friends – by demonstrating good governance, and pushing for healthy political and economic development.

Specifically, China developed its Guangxi province economically – and links it to the ASEAN members – by inviting them to its EXPO, an annual exhibition. Doing business, not to gang up against a third nation.

So, those wayward journalists should not push and publish their blind "patriotism" by bashing China, demonizing it, distorting it – when covering nonpolitical international sports events.

Healthily and happily, this time AP reporter Mr. David Rising called a spade a spade, reporting sports competitions – without the irritating fanfare of irrelevant politics.