BEIJING, China -- A week before the start of the Beijing Olympics, Chinese President Hu Jintao said Friday that the caliber of athletic competition and enhanced friendship among nations, not political disputes, will determine whether the games are a success.

In a rare interview with foreign media, the typically reserved Hu repeatedly said Beijing's hosting of the Olympics was intended to underscore a rising China's desire for peaceful, friendly interaction with the rest of the world.

Do any of you here really think that China is going to be the new darling of the world after the Olympics are over?? They are already editing the internet feeds for the games. What is there to hide??

They will continue to surpress information, bash on human rights, counterfeit everything they can get their hands on and deny, deny, deny.

Keep politics out of the games?? Well yes, I agree with that. It's the weeks and months following the games that I'm interested in.