China dazzles, offers friendship as Games open

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BEIJING (AFP) - China's once-in-a-lifetime Olympic dream became reality Friday as the Beijing Games opened with a dazzling ceremony showcasing the nation's ancient civilization and an offer of friendship to the world.

The political controversies and pollution concerns that plagued the run-up to the Games were swept aside, at least briefly, as 91,000 people at the iconic "Bird's Nest" stadium bathed in the colour and excitement of the night.

"It was so Chinese and so lovely," said engineer Liu Xuejie, who bought an 800 yuan (110 US dollar) ticket for the show.

"The world was watching and I hope they loved it too."

Billions of people around the world tuned in to see the four-hour extravaganza that had been hyped as a coming out party for a nation whose global power is rising as quickly as its wealth.

The opening ceremony began at 8:00 pm (1200 GMT) on the eighth day of the eight month of 2008 -- a tribute to the number 8 that many Chinese deem lucky as it represents prosperity -- and rain that threatened fortunately stayed away.

Those inside were treated to a 50-minute visual spectacular masterminded by acclaimed Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, which involved 15,000 performers, a kaleidoscope of fireworks and the thunder of ancient drum beats.

The show celebrated some of China's greatest inventions -- the compass, gunpowder, paper and printing -- as well its ancient art and the magnificence of the Great Wall.

It concluded with a focus on unity in the modern world, with the final moments seeing performers on a giant elevated globe and a theme song entitled "You and Me".

The traditional parade of athletes then began amid huge cheers, with all nations and teams, including the United States and Taiwan, receiving a warm welcome from the crowd.

After Chinese President Hu Jintao officially declared the Games open, Li Ning -- a gymnast who won three golds at the 1984 Games, then went on to build a huge sporting apparel company -- lit the cauldron.

In a dramatic moment, Li was lifted on wires and then "ran" around the roof of the stadium holding the Olympic torch.

For China, the 16-day Games are an opportunity to show the world how far it has come since the communists came to power in 1949 following a brutal civil war -- particularly in the past three decades of its historic development.

During the seven years since Beijing won the right to host the Games, roughly 40 billion dollars has been spent building the venues, expanding transport networks, upgrading other infrastructure and creating parks.

But the Games risks equally being remembered for the controversies that overshadowed much of their build-up, including China's rule of Buddhist Tibet and Muslim Xinjiang, its human rights record and darker aspects of its foreign policy.

Pro-Tibet campaigners and rights activists have been protesting around the world this week to further pressure China's communist rulers.

Nepalese police said they arrested about 1,400 Tibetans protesting near Chinese embassy buildings in Kathmandu on Friday and up to 150 saffron-clad Tibetan monks tried to storm the Chinese embassy complex in New Delhi.

And US President George W. Bush, who was one of dozens of world leaders who attended the ceremony, earlier spoke out for freedoms, continuing a series of comments in recent days to pressure China on human rights.

"I strongly believe societies that allow the free expression of ideas tend to be the most prosperous and the most peaceful," Bush said at the opening of the new US embassy in Beijing.

China has repeatedly insisted that politics should play no part in the Games, although Hu defended his nation's honour in regards to the Olympics.

"The Chinese government and people have seriously implemented the solemn commitments made to the international society since Beijing won the Olympic bid in 2001," the Chinese president told an audience of world leaders including Bush ahead of the ceremony.

Further highlighting the tension lurking behind the opening ceremony, authorities enforced sweeping security measures across Beijing and other parts of the country on Friday.

More than 100,000 security forces were called in to scout for any trouble in the city and Beijing airport was temporarily shut down just ahead of the start of the ceremony, amid warnings of terror attacks from Islamic separatists.

The Chinese government is also acutely concerned that the Games could be marred by peaceful protesters, whether they be Chinese seeking address against official injustice or foreign activists.