NOT many years ago it would have been unthinkable for the Olympic Games to be staged in "Red" China. In those days China was regarded purely with suspicion by the West, which promulgated a strategy of containment and isolation of the communist giant.
Today China strides the world stage on its own terms: still nominally communist, but paradoxically one of the great pillars of global capitalist progress. China's growth in recent years has been stunning, its modernisation breathtaking and its rise in influence almost intimidating.
Seldom in modern history has a nation been more anxious and determined to display itself before the world. China sees itself as the great emerging power of the 21st century and the Beijing Olympics are a symbol of its desire to be acknowledged. So single-minded has the nation been in its quest to impress the world through the Olympic Games that not even the destruction wrought by this year's earthquake in Sichuan slowed the pace of preparations.
China's seven years of work and planning have produced extraordinary results. The Beijing subway alone, for example, has grown from four lines and 64 stations to 11 lines and about 150 stations.
Autocratic habits die hard, and Olympic euphoria has been tempered by numerous controversies, ranging from the protests over Tibet and human rights, the more brutal aspects of Beijing's cosmetic facelift and China's notorious internet censorship.
Nevertheless, despite these issues and despite Beijing's famous choking smog, the games promise to be a sporting spectacle of historic importance.
Ideals above medals
Australia, which has for decades been steadily building a special diplomatic and trade relationship with China, is hoping for a medal haul to match its export earnings. With one of the world's biggest teams comprising about 433 athletes it is smaller only than China (639), the United States (596), Russia (467) and Germany (439) Australia has reason to expect results.
The Hunter Region's contribution to the national Olympic team numbers 15 athletes, with realistic medal chances in six events.
It is estimated that about 10,500 athletes will take part in the games, representing more than 200 countries. Up to 4 billion people are expected to watch the games on television.
As always, the competition will be fierce and almost certainly punctuated by controversies, large or small.
During its time under the spotlight China is hoping it can show the world it is ready and mature enough as a nation to play a leading role in the coming century. The rest of the world is hoping that exposure to the ideals of the Olympic tradition may provide the brash giant with some object lessons in global citizenship.
The words displayed 60 years ago, in 1948, at the first postwar Olympics in London are worth considering in both a sporting and political context: "The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part. The essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well."
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