Olympic 2008

China is gearing up its preparations with the 2008 Beijing Olympics exactly one year away on Wednesday.

The International Olympic Committee says the Chinese have laid "strong foundations" for the Games. And 63 official events are taking place across China to mark the beginning of the countdown to 8 August 2008. But human rights groups are using the milestone to highlight concerns over China's record on arms sales to Sudan, its record in Tibet and child labour.

Even before Beijing was awarded the Games on 13 July 2001, fears were expressed about the compatibility of China's human rights record and the spirit of the Olympic movement. Sudan and Tibet are two issues that have caused controversy, while last month a Chinese stationery firm accused of using child labour was stripped of its licence to produce official merchandise for the Games.

Air pollution is another major concern, with Beijing experimenting with measures such as ordering