The curtain went up on the London Olympic Games early Saturday morning Beijing time. Now the event has returned to a traditional Western power from the world's biggest developing country that hosted the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, but the fever of four years ago has greatly faded. The London Games only received moderate attention before its opening.

The Olympic Games can be pure sports. However, in Asia, the event has repeatedly proved to be a driving force for national emergence, as in the 1964 Tokyo Games and the 1988 Seoul Games. The Beijing event in 2008 was described as China's coming-out party by the Western media.

The liberal and relaxed working style in the West is adored by many Chinese intellectuals. A precondition of this, however, is an affluent society, in which the country is not as keen for national achievements as Asian states have been. Opportunities to prove themselves are much valued in Asian countries, which are good at boosting development through cultural events.

Those successful Olympic Games in Asia applied special meaning to this event. They were seen as a chance for the host country to prove its accomplishments. The Olympic Games has proved more than just a sporting contest.

When this event rolled back to Europe, its vitality abruptly shrank. A lack of funding, complaining residents and all others showed the indifference of the developed world, revealing a striking difference in attitude to the developing nations.

Recently some Chinese sang highly online of the British way of hosting the Games, and in the meantime poured contempt on China's efforts four years ago. This voice represents the unconditional admiration of Western culture and also the self-abasement in Chinese society.

In fact London does care about the Olympic Games, otherwise it wouldn't have competed with New York and Moscow seven years ago for the right to host the games. The UK wanted to shake up its economy with the help of the Games, but failed due to its limited potential.

So maybe the Olympic Games should give more chances to developing countries, and to itself. In 2008 the whole world was discussing the Olympic Games, as it was connected to an emerging China.

Of course, it's a matter for the host country as to how to present the Olympic Games. It's fine to just make it a party, as it brings simple joy.

The Beijing Games has been recorded in history as a highly successful event. In the future people will remember it when they talk about either sports or the history of developing world.

We wish the London Games another kind of success. There is one world, but all kinds of happiness.