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Asia Minute: Chinese Olympic Team: 419 Athletes, 1 Policeman

Pixabay Commons
Pixabay Commons

The Summer Olympic Games are well underway in Rio—gathering athletes from all over the world. That includes China…which has sent more than 400 competitors in 29 sports….and one policeman. HPR’s Bill Dorman has details in today’s Asia Minute.

Shao Weimin has a lot of work to do over the next couple of weeks.  He’s been sent from China to help look after the safety of Chinese athletes, tourists, and even journalists in town to cover the Olympic Games in and around Rio de Janeiro.

The official Xinhua News Agency reports a 4 person police team was sent from Beijing to Italy earlier this year…to help Chinese visitors at tourist spots in Rome and Milan—especially with communication issues.

The mission is similar in Brazil---where Shao’s title is “temporary police communication officer”…working with local law enforcement officials.  While the visiting Olympians will compete in events from archery and badminton to weightlifting and wrestling, Shao is by himself.  The Beijing News reports he’s been in Brazil for a couple of months in preparation for the event.

A columnist from the South China Morning Post reached him around midnight local time one night late last week, and Shao told the reporter “I’ve been very busy.”  China’s consulate reports several Chinese were robbed in downtown Rio before the games even started.

Shao’s advice for visitors is pretty basic—it includes not wearing expensive watches or other jewelry…and also keeping cell phones in pockets or bags---only taking them out, in his words, “if absolutely necessary.”

Bill Dorman has been the news director at Hawaiʻi Public Radio since 2011.
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