Countdown Beijing: Your e-mails

Editor's Note: CNN's "Countdown Beijing" examines China as it prepares to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. The following e-mails may have been edited for grammar and clarity.

(CNN) -- The IOC (International Olympic Committee) should consider a country's record in human and animal rights, as well as its respect for the environment, before granting the said country the honor of hosting the Olympics. The 2008 Beijing Olympics is a result of polical concession and lobbying by prominent businesses.
Oscar Lei, Toronto, Canada

I visited Beijing last year for two weeks. While Beijing is cleaner than other cities in China and its residents more accustomed to foreign faces, I think Western visitors during the games will still come away with a bad impression of the Chinese.

The air pollution is appalling and compared to Europe or other Asian countries the use of English is almost non-existent. I stayed in a new, modestly priced, American-style chain hotel. I asked one of the staff, a young woman, for some towels, she just laughed, not understanding anything I said. They laugh out of embarrassment and even after living in China a year and half I still find the response offensive. Imagine how people there for a few days will find it?
Jean Claude Dehmel, Busan, South Korea

These (2008) Olympic Game will expose China to the world of capitalism. This might be the biggest threat to the communist country. Afterwards, China will face pressure relating to press freedom, human rights and democracy.
Arun Lamsal, Butwal, Nepal

It was ironic to watch Kristi Lu Stout describe her freedoms as a member of a foreign media organization to film in Beijing about the city's preparations for the 2008 Olympics. Too bad a lot of her segment was blacked out. ... an expat in Shanghai.
Eleanor Hucker, Shanghai, China

You say the air was badly polluted, but actually it is just the weather. If you come one month later, the weather will be much mare better!!! If you really want to say something about the air, please live there for at least a year.
Ju Shuoshuo, Beijing, China

If guaranteeing the Olympics solves human-rights problems in repressive countries, why not give the Olympics to countries like North Korea and other regimes that abuse human rights? Maybe we can solve lot of humanity's problems. Sadly that is not the case. China made promises of changes before winning the right to host the Olympics. Now what happened to all the promises? It's all sham. The Olympics for China is only about showcasing. China recently passed a new law in Tibet which says that any reincarnation of the lama have to have communist governments' approval. A joke? No, it is real. One world, one dream, free Tibet!
Tenor Shaksur, Toronto, Canada

I'm the volunteer of [the] 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. I'm living in the city of Shenyang in the northeast of China . I think you should also introduce my city to American people , even the world. Also the work of volunteers. It's important because it can show the real China and the real culture, people's culture.
Yuanlong Chen, Shenyang, China

What is the difference between the Beijing Olympic in 2008 and the Nazi Olympics in Berlin in 1936? A communist government has ruled China for the past 60 years and it has caused the deaths of tens of millions.
Janey Walker, Antwerp, Belgium

The Summer Games of 2008 will be the greatest of all. Two years ago it was a chaos in the city center. this is great that Beijing is opening up the doors for the world to come in I will be there to next year
Ravi Sewbalaksing, Rotterdam, Netherlands

I'm an 18-year-old student in China and I was born in Beijing. I lived in Beijing until I was 12 years old. During my early memories of Beijing's taking part in competing for the 2008 Olympic Games, I remembered that at that time I was a primary school student and our teacher often let us write letters' to the Olympic Organization to express our great confidence and zeal in holding this great event. Although we knew that these letters would never be really sent to the organization, we still put our heart into writing it just to express our true feelings. Also, younger students and children painted to show their interest in this. And since 2001, Beijing has changed a lot, indeed. For the city, it has become tidier and everything seems to be in good arrangement . Roads are being widen every year and many old messy houses have already been pulled down. Beautiful stadiums are under the construction and the construction will soon be finished. For the people in Beijing!

I think what have happened on the people is the most obvious change during these years. People are becoming more and more polite and they are willing to obey the discipline in the public places now. Fewer and fewer people throw rubbish in the streets, instead they would rather go a few steps further to throw litter into a litter bin than throw it everywhere. People are becoming more and more zealous for holding this event. They have great interest in learning English, and what's surprising, many of them are elder people. In fact, the whole Beijing city, the whole China are ready for this event and I believe the Olympic Games to be held next year will be the most unique one in Olympic history!
Xue Bingyan, Shanghai, China E-mail to a friend