LAUSANNE, Switzerland: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) persuaded China to pass new laws on sensitive rights and environment issues ahead of the Beijing games, its head Jacques Rogge told AFP.

The Belgian president of the IOC outlined the "quiet diplomacy" it waged with China, which he said led to three new bills to protect child labourers, media rights and the environment.

Another measure secured compensation for residents made homeless to make way for the games, he said, during an exclusive interview in the IOC's Swiss home city of Lausanne.

"We carried out the only kind of diplomacy that works in China – silent diplomacy," Rogge said.

"I could have earned instant popularity by mounting the barricades and rebuking (China). But it wouldn't have achieved anything."

Instead, "we obtained a new law on the media which is perhaps not perfect, but is a remarkable step forward for China," he said.

"For the first time, foreign media will be able to report freely and publish their work freely in China. There will be no censorship on the Internet."

He also said the IOC made progress on the sensitive issue of child labour.

"We realised that there were abuses in the factories making mascots and material for BOCOG (the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad).

"The Chinese reacted very well. They arrested those responsible and had a new law passed," he said.

"The third thing was to obtain proper compensation for people dispossessed by the Olympic building projects. The fourth was new legislation for protecting the environment. On these four points, we achieved satisfaction."

Beijing's air quality is routinely rated among the worst in the world by international agencies such as the United Nations and the World Bank – a major concern for the IOC and some athletes.

Beijing plans to ban around half the city's three-million-plus cars from the roads during the Games, while some factories will be closed down and construction work ordered to halt.

Rights groups such as Amnesty International meanwhile have raised concerns over alleged human rights abuses in China, and the Olympic torch relay met sometimes violent protests against Chinese rule in Tibet, including chaotic scenes in London and Paris in April.

Rogge said he expressed regret to the Chinese authorities for the violence that marred parts of the relay.

"We must not humiliate China," he said, citing the view of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. "That's exactly our attitude."

"We'll see how it all works," he added, referring to the four guarantees given by China. "If things are not perfect, we will do everything to convince the Chinese to fix it. But we have received very strong assurances."

A Chinese crackdown against peaceful protests in Tibet in March sparked international outrage and led to speculation that some world leaders might shun the games.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy threatened to boycott the Olympic opening gala, but later confirmed that he would attend.

The IOC last month told China to draw a line between sports and politics, after a Communist party official lashed out at pro-independence sentiment in Tibet by calling for government opponents to be "smashed" to protect the games.

But Rogge insisted that "at no point" did the pro-Tibet protests affect the IOC's relations with the Chinese, expressing confidence that protests would not disrupt the games.

"I think there will be continued discussion (of Tibet) in the media," Rogge said. "But I think that when the games start, the sporting performances will take centrestage."


- AFP/so