With the 16 days of competition at the 2008 Olympics concluding on Sunday with 38 world records broken, Taiwan media on Monday gave credit to the mainland for its successful hosting of the event.

Media reports said the 1.3-billion-population host had shown the world one marvel after another since the opening ceremony, adding that it "had walked into the memory of the world, as well as the history of the Olympics, with 51 golds and a total of 100 medals".

The China Times discussed the Games and the closing ceremony on its front page. It said the performances on Sunday evening were a "binge" of joy and friendship, blending elements from West and East and from ancient and modern times.

China was no doubt the biggest winner of the Games, it said in a special edition dedicated to the closing ceremony.

"The 51 golds and 100 medals created great honor for China, and the event also succeeded in letting the world know more about [the country].

"The hosting of the Games would accelerate the involvement of China in the international community by at least 10 years.

"The 100 medals have made a 100-year-old dream come true and led to a splendid closing for China."

The United Daily News said in its special Olympics edition the closing ceremony sent a message "inviting guests from afar to stay" with its performances.

The Commercial Times lauded China's 51 golds, which topped the United States for the first time. "Different from the opening ceremony, which was about romance, the closing ceremony was a big party, but it continued the opening's lighting and sound magic."

The Economic Daily News said many Chinese brands had gained recognition world-wide as they appeared repeatedly in domestic and overseas media during the Games.

(Xinhua News Agency August 25, 2008)