Hu said the Games not only offers an arena for athletes from around the world to realize glory and dreams, but also provides a platform for people to enhance understanding and deepen friendship.

"Hosting the Olympics is a century-old aspiration of the Chinese people," Hu said, citing the fact that as early as 1908 some Chinese came up with the idea to stage the Games.

"As Beijing finally became the host of the Olympics after 100 years of longing, all Chinese people cherish this golden opportunity," Hu said.

"The Chinese share one wishn -- making the Beijing Olympics a great success, enabling people to enjoy themselves at the Games and carrying forward the Olympic spirit," Hu said.

Hu welcomes the legacy China and world will gain from the Games

Hu Jintao said the Beijing Olympic Games will leave important spiritual legacies for the world, which will be more sustainable and valuable than the material legacies of the Beijing games.

Hu identified three spiritual legacies. The first is the promotion of the Olympic spirit of unity, friendship and peace. The second is the realisation of the concept of a Green Olympics, a Hi-tech Olympics and a People's Olympics. The third is the advancement of reciprocal exchanges and learning among cultures of all the countries in the world.

In response to a question, Hu said hosting the Olympics will gift China several new sports venues and some improved infrastructure. He said China will treasure these material legacies and give a full play to their function and roles.

Hu said China will treasure even more highly the spiritual legacies of the Games and strive to carry them forward.

Hu said in the past seven years, the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG) has done a great deal of work and achieved outstanding results in all aspects, including venue and infrastructure construction, environment protection, city operation, security and media service. He said the BOCOG has concentrated on the goal of hosting a high-standard Olympic Games with distinctive characteristics by fully implementing the concept of the Green Olympics, the Hi-tech Olympic and the People's Olympics.

These achievements have provided favorable conditions not only for the smooth holding of the Beijing Olympic Games, but also for the future development of China and the Chinese people's effort to create a better life.