There can be no doubt that plaudits are fitting for the Chinese people, its government and the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee for a thoroughly spectacular Olympics, said the Jakarta Post in an editorial published on Thursday.

"Their efforts were not in vain as many in the world were provided front row seats to some of the best that China had to offer. The 'sacrifices' which residents of Beijing had to endure for the staging of the games were not in vain," the newspaper said.

"We in Asia should be especially proud that a fellow Asian nation can so gracefully host and succeed in such a monumental endeavor.

"It was no casual undertaking, as it took a concentrated, national effort to overcome natural, urban, organizational, technological and other societal challenges".

The newspaper said the Beijing Games parallel in triumph to the1988 Seoul Olympics and the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, in showing the world what Asia can do.

China is the global power to watch, economically, politically and militarily, commented the newspaper, adding that "a successful Olympics reinforces the confidence of China's leadership on the course of action which it has pursued."

China has shown significant good-will in developing a paradigm of economic cooperation with its neighbors to the south, it said.

"Such has been China's enthusiasm that we in Southeast Asia have hardly been able to match their eagerness in developing cooperative projects."

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2008)