For the sports betting games, we look at why Hong Kong is independent of China at the Olympics as the 2022 Winter Olympics approaches Beijing.
Although it appears that we have just recently recovered from the excitement of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the Games are only a few months away! The 2022 Winter Olympics will begin in China in February, making Beijing the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Back to The Past for The Sports Betting Games
We’ll all be watching the Opening Ceremony from the Beijing National Stadium on February 4th with bated breath (especially after the utterly amazing 2008 Opening Ceremony from the same stadium).
If you’re anything like me, you anticipate the athletes’ parade as thousands of proud competitors march into the stadium waving their flags.
The Caribbean nation of Haiti will make its Olympic debut in 2022, but there are some unexpected additions to the competition. Hong Kong, which competes separately from China at the Olympics, is one of the more surprising entrants.
Let’s take a look at why Hong Kong isn’t competing in the Olympics with China.
Why Does Hong Kong Compete Separately From China at the Olympics?
Since the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, Hong Kong has competed in the Olympics. Hong Kong was a British colony at the time, and it competed in the Olympics alongside other British territories including Trinidad and Tobago, British Guiana, and Jamaica.
Since the end of the First Opium War in 1841, when the British acquired Chinese territory from the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong has been a British Colony.
Hong Kong remained under British rule until 1997 when the People’s Republic of China took control of the territory.
Hong Kong has many economic and administrative disparities with mainland China as a result of its 156-year colonial history (such as the Hong Kong dollar and the official use of English). The Chinese constitutional principle of “one country, two systems” recognizes these disparities.
Special Administrative
Hong Kong has been a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China since 1997, alongside Macau, it is a neighbor over the Pearl River and the world’s gaming center.
The logic for the IOC’s decision to allow a separate Hong Kong Olympic squad to continue is, at best, hazy. Former colonies having their Olympic teams are thought to have a “grandfather clause” that allows them to keep their teams independent.
Puerto Rico is a good example of what I’m talking about. Although Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States and Puerto Ricans are US citizens, the island has a successful Olympic team.
Which Has Done Better at the Olympics: China or Hong Kong?
Without a doubt, China has 696 medals, including 275 golds, while Hong Kong has earned 9 total medals, including two golds. That is why people who are addicted to sports betting games are looking for them.
Despite only beginning in earnest at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, China is now the 7th most successful Olympic nation of all time.
Last summer, Hong Kong hosted the most successful Olympic Games in its history in Tokyo. The following items were included in their record haul:
- 1x Gold Medal (Fencing)
- 2x Silver Medals (Swimming)
- 3x Bronze Medals (Table Tennis, Karate, and Cycling)
China has a long and illustrious Olympic history. At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, the People’s Republic of China made its Olympic debut. China withdrew owing to the “two Chinas” controversy, which we’ll explore in a bit, and it wasn’t until 1979 that China rejoined the IOC after normalizing relations with the US.
Since then, China has risen to prominence as an Olympic powerhouse. Table tennis, gymnastics, and badminton are just a few of the sports in which Chinese athletes have excelled.
Therefore, China will be seeking to add to their outstanding medal total on home soil, despite their lack of success at the Winter Olympics, placing in 16th place at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
Why Does Hong Kong Have a Separate Flag?
After China and the United Kingdom agreed to give over Hong Kong in 1984, a competition was held to choose a new flag for Hong Kong to replace the British colonial flag. The current Hong Kong flag was chosen as the winner. On a crimson background, it depicts a five-petaled Hong Kong Orchid Tree blossom.
The red field, which is the same red as the Chinese flag, depicts the Chinese people and the bond between Mainland China and Hong Kong. The flower symbolizes the harmony that exists between Hong Kong and mainland China.
The Hong Kong flag is a significant emblem of the city, and it is protected by Hong Kong’s Basic Law (basically the city’s constitution) as well as regulations enacted by the People’s Republic of China.
What is Chinese Taipei?
Maybe you’ve seen Chinese Taipei at the Olympics and wondered what it was all about. The truth is buried in Chinese history, but in a nutshell, Chinese Taipei is the Olympic squad for athletes from Taiwan’s island.
Taiwan is controlled by the Republic of China, which claims to be the successor state to the Republic of China during the Chinese Civil War. After the Japanese Empire violently conquered China at the end of WWII, civil war erupted between the reigning nationalist Kuomintang and Mao Zedong’s Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
As a result of the war, the CCP gained control of mainland China and declared the People’s Republic of China, while the Kuomintang withdrew to Taiwan, which is still officially known as the Republic of China.
All of China’s territory is claimed by both the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan). The People’s Republic of China, on the other hand, is universally acknowledged as China’s legitimate government.
The rivalry between the “two Chinas” resulted in Chinese and Taiwanese athletes boycotting various Olympic Games. Taiwan, for example, withdrew from the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal after Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s government rejected their athletes’ admittance and asked that they not use the name “China.”
Taiwanese athletes have instead represented Chinese Taipei (Taipei is Taiwan’s capital) as a compromise since 1979. As a result of this compromise, Taiwanese athletes participate under a unique flag that blends Taiwanese and Olympic motifs.
Does China Win More Gold Medals Than Other Countries?
Although China is one of the most successful nations at the Olympics, it is not always the most successful nation. Since 2010, China has never won the most medals overall, except for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, when it won the most gold medals.
The United States is the most successful nation in the history of the Summer Olympics, consistently beating China to the top of the medal table. China has a history of poor performance in the Winter Olympics. Norway is, in reality, the most successful nation in the Winter Olympics’ history.
Canada (Vancouver 2010), Russia (Sochi 2014), and Norway (Pyeongchang 2018) have won the most medals in the last three Olympics. In 2022, China will be looking to emulate Canada’s and Russia’s home team victories.
Then… Have you prepared for sports betting games soon? Which team will you stand for? However, keep in mind to always pick the most trusted online casino like superitc to give you the best experience. / Dy
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