The Beijing Olympics presented to the world a charming and fine image of China and a Beijing largely unknown to Westerners through TV coverage of the Games, said the French newspaper La Tribune on Friday.

The splendid opening ceremony directed by well-known Chinese movie director Zhang Yimou gave the Games a good start. Live TV coverage of the life in Beijing showed an image unfamiliar to Western audience, with lots of skyscrapers, magnificent sports facilities and well-organized Games, which has won the appreciation of all athletes, the paper said in an article.

The paper noted that the Chinese government's measures to reduce emission and improve air quality worked well. Drizzles from time to time brought humid and cool air, making the weather more comfortable.

Beijing had blue skies for more than half of the days during the Games, and the local residents enjoyed the pleasant ever summer in their memories, the paper added.

Beijing has put huge investment into the construction of sports venues and infrastructure, including subway, light rail transit and express way system. All these investments paid off in easing traffic and providing convenient public transport, the paper said.

The paper hailed the Beijing Olympics as the most expected Games over the last decades, and said that Beijing has happily fulfilled people's expectations.

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2008)