Edmonton Journal said: + o# ]( K3 }( S+ |"The ceremony preceded 16days of competition, for which China has spent $70 billion - six times the record of Athens in 2004." " r/ K; J# ~ |2 K; s- Y8 O6 N( N9 } % A+ T1 [1 V& n: F% b# S4 e* R7 i1 @3 c# H4 X. D
"Without the Olympics' willingness to play, China could never have had this kind of opportunity to show the world the power of a national mind so sharply focused on an instrument of good., fear China a little less, maybe even like it a little?"7 X0 r; J( N% Z
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the meaning of the big party is inestimable.