Beijing Olympics And China's National Image Shape

As the globalization is expanding every moment nowadays, all the nations pay much attention to the competition of economic and military power-named as hard power while at the same time also attach great importance to the competition of its soft power. National image is a comprehensive perception and evaluation of a nation's objective conditions by international community and is an essential part of a nation's soft power. A fine national image is conducive to the recognition of international community's understanding and trust of a nation, promotion of international cooperation and realization of a nation's external strategic objectives. Therefore, molding a fine national image has become a main focus of all nations around the world.The summer Olympic Games which is held every four years is the most magnificent sports meeting in the world. After a hundred year's development, its significance has already gone beyond sports. History has proved that the Olympic Games has already become a great opportunity and stage for host country to mold and promote its national image. The 2008 Olympic Games was held in Beijing and has provided a chance of lifetime for China to exhibit itself and mold national image on its stage. And the successful holding of Beijing Olympic Games has greatly promoted China's national image.This article discusses the role of the Olympic Games in the process of molding and promoting a nation's image through the perspective of international relations. The article introduces the concept of national image, points out the importance of national image in international relations from angles of mainstream theories of international relations, analyzes the role of the Olympic Games in the process of molding and promoting a nation's image with a thorough appraisal and empirical analysis of Beijing Olympic Games'role in molding and promotion of China's national image.