Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/earthquake-recovery-tempers-chinas-olympics-elation Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript In preparing for the Olympic Games, the Chinese government has faced unexpected challenges, including a devastating earthquake and protests over its rule of Tibet. Margaret Warner reports from China about the quake's impacts on the Beijing Olympic plans. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. RAY SUAREZ: Next, pride and sorrow in China. Margaret Warner begins a week of reports from there. MARGARET WARNER: On Saturday morning, just 10 weeks before the Beijing Olympic Games, China's top athletes were testing the track at their brand-new stadium.It's called the Bird's Nest, a 91,000-seat behemoth of twisted concrete and steel, a stunning symbol of the new Beijing.Filling the stands to cheer on the athletes: thousands of excited Chinese spectators. Yet just across town, other Beijing residents spent their weekend collecting donated food and clothing, toiletry and toys to send to the victims of the China's shattering earthquake two weeks ago.The disaster has left some 5 million homeless and in desperate need of whatever their government or countrymen can provide.The two weekend gatherings in Beijing typify the conflicting emotions Chinese people feel as they approach what they'd hoped would be a glorious celebration of China's arrival as a modern country on the world stage.Beijing has spent six years and billions of dollars to remake the city, turning back alleys and traditional communal neighborhoods into multimillion-dollar high-rises.The dramatic overhaul has brought redesigned roadways, five new subway lines, thousands of new plants, and architectural wonders, like an eco-friendly bubble-wrap aquatic center.Amidst the splendor of the Forbidden City, seat of China's long and proud imperial past, Culture Minister Cai Wu says hosting the Olympics will demonstrate to the world that China has transcended a century of foreign invasion and humiliation and political and economic turmoil that kept it a backward nation.CAI WU, Minister of Culture, China (through translator): China is not seeking to rebuild a glorious past like some people thought. Instead, China is wishing to have a desirable modernization, just like other nations of the world.The Olympics is very important, because China can show to the world not only our ancient culture and civilizations, but also how much we now share the same common aspiration to build a better world with all other people of the world.