GREETINGS: South Korean children welcome visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao in Seoul
on August 25, along with South Korean President Lee Myung Bak

As Chinese President Hu Jintao embarked on his first overseas trip after the Beijing Olympics, hopes were high that this tour would set the tone for post-Olympic Chinese diplomacy. The president addressed this issue at a luncheon in Seoul on August 26.

"We are clearly aware that China still is the largest developing country in the world," he said. "China will unswervingly follow a path of peaceful development and an opening-up strategy that is mutually beneficial and brings about win-win results. It pursues development based on peace, openness and cooperation." The Chinese are ready to join hands with other nations to build a "harmonious world of lasting peace and shared prosperity," he added.

South Korea was the first stop on Hu's three-nation tour from August 25 to 30, which also took him to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Chinese international studies experts hailed Hu's remarks for their relevance. They say that China will conduct itself on the world stage with a better image and greater confidence in the years following the successful Beijing Olympics.

The Olympic factor

"Hu made a proper speech at a proper time," said Jin Canrong, Deputy Dean of the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China, referring to the president's luncheon remarks. "The speech contains important information, although it may not convince foreign critics prejudiced against China."

Hu's reiteration that China remains a developing country is relevant because the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo and the 1988 Olympics in Seoul preceded major economic transformations in Japan and South Korea, said Shi Yongming, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies.

China's economic base is incomparable to that of Japan or South Korea, and the Olympics have had only a limited role in powering the Chinese economy, Shi said.

China showcased its profound culture to the world through the Olympics, he said. He believes this is conducive to improving the country's international standing.

Although it takes time to observe the implications of the Olympics, it is certain that China has gained respect from the international community for its success in organizing the Games and its athletic excellence, Jin said.

The Olympics provided an unprecedented opportunity for the outside world to learn about China in a "direct and comprehensive manner," thus changing its misconceptions about the country, he said. The Games enabled Westerners to get a more accurate picture of China, which is a relatively modern nation instead of the feudal backwater depicted in some Chinese movies or the political heretic portrayed by the Western media, he said.

After the Olympics, however, the Western media will continue to find fault with China, partly because they need to catch audiences' attention to make money and partly because the conflicts between China and the West remain unresolved, he said.

He believes the Olympics will lead Western countries to both respect and fear China more, a trend that some countries will respond to by cooperating with China while others will explore ways to guard against its rise.