ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to demystify how the Chinese authorities have astutely leveraged the bidding contests of the 1990 Asian Games, the 2014 Winter Olympics, the 2018 Winter Olympics, and the 2017 Summer Universiade for China's relations with Japan, Russia, South Korea, and Taiwan. While the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) received the application document of the Chinese capital city, Hu visited Tokyo. The Chinese authorities understood that Beijing must win the hosting rights of the 1990 Asian Games at the 1984 OCA Assembly held in late September. Otherwise, it would affect their plan to pursue the 2000 Summer Olympics as well as the mood of the public to watch the Deng-chaired parade. While the South Koreans were celebrating the victory of PyeongChang, the Taipei municipal government activated a bid for the 2017 Summer Universiade. For various political considerations, the Chinese authorities decided not to back the Taiwanese cities in their preceding applications for the Summer Universiade hosting rights.
