Almost everyone I spoke to recently has been saddened and frustrated by the anti-China protests that have dogged the Olympic torch relay.  Those sentiments are echoed in a survey done by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, that finds an overwhelming proportion of Hong Kong people oppose anti-China protests when the Olympic torch relay is held there on 2 May:

Seventy percent believe the relay should not be used to press Beijing on its human rights record and 93.4 percent oppose the worldwide protests that have blighted the overseas torch relay.

Separately, the BBC web site interviewed six Chinese citizens whose opinions reflect the general views in China's blogosphere, that politics should be separated from the Olympics:

ZHONGZE, 25, STUDENT, ANHUI PROVINCE, CHINA

I agree that our country does have human rights problems. For example, there is a general lack of freedom. With regard to Tibet, I don't support everything our government does - and have even posted apologies on YouTube following events in 2006.

But those protesters should wait until a more appropriate time to take a stand.

I e-mailed Reporters Without Borders to say I support their cause - but they are choosing the wrong time to take a stand. The demonstrators are in danger of making an enemy of everyone in China.

ZHIFU FAN, 20, STUDENT, DALIAN, CHINA

I really can't agree with those so-called democrats who urge China to give greater freedom to Tibetans, or raise the issue of Darfur.

Look at what the US and UK have done to Iraq. Will these people protest over the London Olympic Games?

LAN WANG, 34, PROFESSOR, LIVING IN SINGAPORE

Many Western people misunderstand China and Beijing's policy in regard to Tibet.

And this is made worse by the way the Western media portrays the country. I read news from the BBC and CNN very often and I feel stories crudely stereotype China.

HANWEN LIAO, 33, RESEARCH FELLOW, LIVING IN LONDON

I was in London during the torch relay and was terrified to see the violence and chaos created by the protesters.

As a man living in the West for quite a long time, I totally support everyone's right to express their feelings and opinions.

But what happened during the torch relay put ordinary civilians in danger.

JINJIE CHEN, 32, LAWYER, BEIJING

The Beijing Olympics should actually be about an improved dialogue with the world

There is no excuse for linking the issue of Tibet and the Olympic Games.

LIU XIAOXI, 37, PROFESSOR, LIVING IN JAPAN

In general I think politics and sport should be separated. Look at the history of the Games. When the US and the former Soviet Union boycotted one another's Games - did this achieve anything?