From the standpoint of medals won, both the United States and China have reason to be pleased. The former won the most number of medals overall — 110 — compared with 100 for China. But the Chinese won the most golds, leading the Americans 51 to 36.

The question now is, what next? Beijing residents had clean air for several weeks as a result of an all-out effort to curb pollution and reduce traffic. Now that they know what the air and sky can be like if the government really tried, they would not be happy if things were to go back to the way they were before the Olympics.

The Olympics were China’s coming out party and the country received unprecedented media coverage. The good thing was that while there was much journalistic interest in sensitive issues involving Tibet, Falun Gong and human rights, there was also plenty of other coverage and, by and large, the reportage was much more positive than negative.

The level of interest in China will remain high and the range of topics covered will continue to be wide. Now that China is established as an athletic giant as well as an economic superpower, human rights should no longer be regarded as the only story that journalists should focus on.

Beijing, of course, has to do its part by continuing to relax regulations governing foreign correspondents. The more relaxed rules put in place for the Olympics should be made permanent.

The Olympics should enable China to develop a sporting network involving athletes from different countries, enhancing friendship and cooperation. In future, Chinese athletes should communicate regularly with their counterparts overseas, thus furthering the opening up of China.

If there is one thing that the Olympics should do, it is to accelerate the opening of China. And there is every likelihood that this will happen even if there are no dramatic examples of this.

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