With the much-anticipated opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics being staged in the capital city, China has become the focus of global media attention.

An article titled "China deserves plaudits," published Friday on the website of major Indian newspaper The Hindu, said the Olympics has provided China with a "dramatic stage" and the country has been able to ride out most of the challenges it faced during the preparatory period for the Games.

"The Olympics have become a catalyst for sweeping changes...Beijing was transformed architecturally, historically and even temperamentally... For China, the Olympics is more than a sporting event...it is as much about prestige and international acceptance," the article said.

Meanwhile, a front-page story in leading Yemeni newspaper Al Thawra said the Beijing Olympics will turn out to be the most successful Games in history.

It also said China, the host of the grand event, is likely to be placed high on the Olympic medal list, posing an actual threat to the United States, which has dominated the event since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Thailand's Chinese-language newspaper The Asian News Time congratulated Beijing for hosting the Olympic Games in a commentary published Friday, saying the Chinese people have finally realized their Olympic dream and have shown the world that China, which is on a peaceful rise, bears great hospitality and selfless devotion.

The Beijing Olympics also signals China's intensified efforts at "embracing the world," Indonesia's largest Chinese-language newspaper International Daily said Friday.

"Preparations for the Games have brought about comprehensive changes to Beijing and China at large...the 5,000-year-old civilization has taken new steps to improve itself and contribute its utmost to world peace and progress."

Nouvelles d'Europe, one of Europe's foremost Chinese dailies, said the world was focusing on China at present as it is set to present its infinite vitality and charm to the global community.

People all over the world would feel the hospitality of the Chinese people and further comprehend China's pursuit of peace and friendship, the newspaper said.

The Chinese people are brimming with pride and patriotism, said Jeremy Thompson, a British Sky Broadcasting (BSB) news anchor, while reporting Friday from near Beijing's National Stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest."

His colleague Peter Sharp commented that the Beijing Games is terrific since it demonstrates China's increasingly important role on the world stage.

Major newspapers in Germany also carried stories about the Beijing Olympics on Friday.

The Beijing Olympics will definitely bring China and the European Union closer, Wolfgang Grupp, president of German sportswear supplier Trigerma, was cited as saying by the Suddeutsche Zeitung daily.

Germany TV broadcasters ARD and ZDF plan to air 300 hours of Olympic-related TV programs, and publish game results and experts' commentaries on their websites.

Also, newspapers across Romania published special Olympic-themed editions.

Televiziunea Romania, the country's national TV broadcaster, said it will telecast the opening ceremony live and provide 320 hours of coverage to the Beijing Games.

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2008)