Joanne Lee discovers her Chinese roots during the Beijing Games.

In Singapore

I LOVE US gymnast Nastia Liukin. I love her long lanky limbs, exquisite extensions and terrific tumbling. I love how she's inherited her lines from her Soviet world champion rhythmic gymnast mom and her skills from her Soviet Olympic gold medalist gymnast dad.

No matter how much I've been looking forward to her performance at the Beijing Olympics, however, I could not bring myself to cheer her on to the gold today. How could I when she's part of the team that could've prevented China from getting the women's team gold?

Nastia Liukin congratulates Cheng Fei. Source: AFP

Like many third or fourth generation Singaporean Chinese, I didn't think I felt much affinity with China. I was raised speaking English, reading Enid Blyton and digesting the Hollywood diet. Between Nastia Liukin and Cheng Fei, I probably have more in common with the Texan. (She, for example, is an iPhone user too.)

But, then again, today I was reminded that I've got dark hair and yellow skin - like Cheng Fei.

Watching the US and China team compete cheek-by-jowl on the same apparatus this morning, I found myself switching loyalties from Nastia to the Chinese girls. When Cheng Fei stuck her landing, I cheered. When Nastia stepped out of the floor area after a tumble, I thought: "Minus 0.1. Ha!"

I was a little taken aback by how much I wanted China to win.

I'm not the only one rediscovering my racial heritage though. Ever since the Olympics opening ceremony last Friday, emails have been circulating all over the Net with news coverage from the Western press.

One commentary from The Telegraph ran with a subtitle saying: "The Olympic ideal, the separation of sport and politics, died in the Chinese night"; its first line: "A global TV audience of four billion witnessed the burial alongside 91,000 in the Olympic Stadium."

It got my heckles up - and that of all my friends who received the email. What's their problem? Sure, some bits of the opening ceremony were pre-recorded, but that's TV for you. The UK is just sour grapes - or sour plums - because they won't be able to get that kind of budget for their opening ceremony or have Zhang Yimou direct the extravaganza. These were the sort of comments being bandied about - and sentiments I found myself sharing.

How is it we've suddenly discovered our collective Chinese roots? How is it it's suddenly become us versus them? How is it we're on the Communists' side in this not-so-cold war?

Whatever it is, I'll be cheering for Nastia in the individual events. But if Cheng Fei beats her to the gold, I won't be too disappointed. Blood is thicker than water, right?

Can it be? Is Nastia's split leap... (Source: Xinhua)

... less extended than Cheng Fei's? (Source: AFP)