Bring your own rocks to Asian Cup Final in Beijing!

[confucius]

(Asia - AFP) Chinese capital steps up security for Asian Cup final

Sat Aug 7, 3:54 AM

BEIJING (AFP) - Beijing is stepping up security to head off any potential violence at a politically charged Asian Cup final between China and Japan.

Security guards late Friday night were combing the neighborhood around the stadium in Beijing, gathering rocks and pebbles that could be used by angry Chinese fans.

Bar owners in the area have been ordered to fully staff their premises, limit the number of patrons and discourage them from drinking hard liquor, the Beijing Times said.

The Chinese government has also urged fans not to let festering political emotions ruin the showpiece Asian Cup final.

At least 6,000 police and security personnel are expected to surround the 66,000-seat Workers' Stadium after Japanese fans and players were harassed by rowdy fans in their preliminary matches in Chongqing and Jinan.

The military's People's Armed Police officers will also be on hand if needed, Beijing newspapers said.

The extra security measures come after rowdy Chinese fans booed the Japanese team and national anthem throughout the championship and pelted spectators with plastic bottles as fans bristled about Japan's war-time past, fueled by widespread belief that Tokyo had not faced up to war-time atrocities.

While the players will be trying to focus on the football, the match has assumed political connotations with senior leaders from both countries chipping in with comments about the booing antics of Chinese fans.

Tokyo made a formal protest while China hit back with its own complaints over a gaffe that saw Taiwan, which Beijing regards as its territory, identified as a separate country in the Japanese Football Association's Asian Cup media guide.

The embassy of Japan in Beijing has issued a notice on its website advising Japanese nationals to avoid crowds and for Japanese fans to sit only in the portion of the stadium set aside for them and not to wear the team strip or colours outside the stadium.

"We ask them not to leave the stadium immediately after the game. The security officials will guide (them) out," said Horinouchi.

In a sign China wants to show good sportsmanship, officials have announced to Japan that a highranking Chinese leader -- a member of the 24-member top Communist Party Politburo -- will likely attend the match and sit beside Japanese ambassador Koreshige Anami in the VIP section, Horinouchi said.

"The two of them will be broadcast on the big screen sitting next to each other," Horinouchi said.

China, which will host the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, also wants to preserve its reputation as a sports game host.

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Confucian commentary: This is fantastic! Imagine being a poor peasant from the Hebei countryside looking for work in the capital and being hired to pick up rocks outside Worker's Stadium! Meanwhile bar owners are told to tell punters to drink less pints and stay off the mao tai. One guy I know is drinking hard liquor right now is whichever Politburo member drew the short straw to have his reluctant mug on the Mitsubishi big screen sitting next to the ambassador of Japan. 6000 cops plus PAP patrols! Wow, this is great stuff! I can't wait for the Olympics. Let Beijing host it now and make Greece wait until 2008! Banzai!