China has been positioning itself to be a leader in the world.  China's bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics was an attempt to gain prominence and the award of the games to China was the Olympic Committee's attempt to induce China to clean up its environment and improve its human rights. 

The award of the game was announced in July 2001, a few weeks before I left.  The Chinese people were wildly proud and excited.  What they did not anticipate - and how could they? - was the world wide scrutiny that would come with this step into prominence. 

China has a long standing policy, at least for the twentieth century, that what goes on in a country, stays in a country, and it is no one else's business. 

China was not ready for the criticism that comes with being a leader in the world.  The policy of no criticism of internal affairs works when one is isolated, but once one becomes a host for world events, internal affairs become everybody's business.