'The best Olympics ever' -- now what?

Despite worries that pollution, traffic congestion, its human rights issues and overbearing security would make for a "no fun" Olympics, China is basking in accolades after festive closing ceremonies Sunday that wrapped up the most expensive Games in history.

"I think it is the best Olympics ever," said Juan Antonio Samaranch, former head of the International Olympic Committee. "China is No. 1."

That's music to the ears of the Communist Party, which, despite some calls for a boycott, convinced more than 80 heads of state to attend the opening ceremony. The Games exposed billions of global viewers to the Middle Kingdom and its culture, furthering its "soft power" ambitions. It displayed impressive preparation and management skills, and its athletes won 51 gold medals -- far more than the U.S., which won 36, or anyone else, for that matter. Even the air turned out to be better than many people had expected.

But as the architect of China's reforms, former leader Deng Xiaoping, once observed: When you open the windows, the flies may come in.

Inviting the world for a big party also shined an international spotlight on China's dark corners and its lingering concerns about its surprisingly fragile political structure. When the afterglow fades, China will be faced with a host of problems that it has put off addressing.

"The Olympics have showed China's tremendous achievements and real openness compared to 10 years ago," said Cheng Li, senior fellow with the Brookings Institution in Washington. "But it's also showed China's tremendous problems."

Among the lasting legacies will be the $41-billion rebuilding of Beijing. Throughout China's long history, each new dynasty has rebuilt the capital, and in the Chinese context this is a signal that the Middle Kingdom is back and ready to play in the big leagues. Venues such as the Bird's Nest stadium and the Water Cube aquatics center have become fixtures on TV screens around the world.

The Olympics should help improve China's global image, although not nearly as much as China once hoped, analysts said. Among the sporting events, NBC and other networks have run vignettes about China, giving millions of ordinary people a view of something more than factory floors and human rights violations.

The Games also should help spur China's self-confidence, although its response to criticism reflected its continued sensitivity to any.