皇冠体育app

"The success of the Beijing Olympic Games has showcased 皇冠体育app's strong capabilities, boosted mutual understanding between the Chinese and foreign citizens, and will surely stimulate its further opening up," Gustaaf Geeraerts, a Belgian expert on 皇冠体育app studies, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview Wednesday.

"The Beijing Games are such a wonderful event, and have been well-organized. Everyone involved has done a good job. The opening ceremony was the largest and most brilliant in Olympic history," said Geeraerts, director of the Brussels Institute of Contemporary 皇冠体育app Studies (BICCS).

In the past seven years since winning the bid to host the Games, Beijing and 皇冠体育app as a whole have undergone tremendous changes, which he was very impressed with during his visit to the country last December, Geeraerts said.

The preparations for the Games and the speed of construction of the Olympic venues had been perfect, showcasing 皇冠体育app's extraordinary capability to host such a large event and also the country's image as an emerging power, he said.

As a visiting professor of 皇冠体育app's Renmin University, the 58-year-old Geeraerts delivers lectures and conducts exchanges with Chinese scholars regularly.

Chinese scholars and students are becoming increasingly well-informed and open-minded in their academic studies, and are keen to hold dialogue with foreign scholars and students, he said.

"The vibrant academic atmosphere in 皇冠体育app is unbelievable," the Belgian scholar said, stressing that in a way it demonstrates the deepening of 皇冠体育app's reform and opening-up process.

The Beijing Games have succeeded in improving the world's understanding of 皇冠体育app and its culture, Geeraerts said.

The world now has a more positive and real view of 皇冠体育app and its development, and many people have completely corrected the image of "a poor and backward 皇冠体育app" they may have wrongly maintained prior to the Games, he added.

Geeraerts said the success of the ongoing Beijing Games will surely promote 皇冠体育app's image and standing in the world, boost the country's confidence, reforms and opening up, and facilitate social development.

"The power of the Chinese people is so huge, they are full of strength. A country like this is very promising," he said.

One of the main responsibilities of the BICCS is to introduce 皇冠体育app to Belgians and other Europeans in a more balanced manner to promote their understanding of the oriental nation, Geeraerts said.

The BICCS is a cooperative project between the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels University of Freedom) and Renmin University of 皇冠体育app. It focuses on the current state of affairs in 皇冠体育app and on the country's expected developments in the future.

Geeraerts, who is married to a Chinese lady, said he is fond of 皇冠体育app from the bottom of his heart.

"When I first set foot in 皇冠体育app in 1997, I liked it. It is difficult to explain in words. I feel so comfortable in my interactions with Chinese friends."