Those interviewed got to know China by watching the Olympic Games, touring around China, making friends with the Chinese, watching Chinese films, using goods made here, eating in Chinese restaurants and so on.

But, criticisms still existed, showed the survey. The image of the Chinese people remained the same at 2.8 after the Olympics.

The interviewees who had traveled more to China gave lower ratings for Chinese people's friendliness, enthusiasm toward work and their ability to keep promises than those who have only limited travel experience.

"This is very surprising," Ke said, "and it is also beyond my expectation that they are less critical about littering after more contact with the people and the culture." He didn't elaborate any further.

The survey found that foreigners who were staying in Beijing during the Olympics had more positive impressions of China than those who were not.

According to Ke, this was because they had more chances to be in direct contact with Chinese society.

The survey also showed that foreigners' knowledge about China was still at a low level.

"For example, when asked who is the President of China now, even those who were staying in Beijing at the time didn't know it was Hu Jintao. Only 40 percent of them gave the right answer," Ke said.

Ashley Esarey, of the Fairbank Center of Chinese Studies at Harvard University, agreed at the forum that the Olympics did change the way most people look at China.

Before the Games, some Americans were against China because of human rights and environmental issues, according to Esarey. "But many people's perspectives changed during the Olympics. They were astonished at how well the Olympic Games were organized, and showed more interest in China," he said, adding that the number of supporters for the Beijing Games increased afterwards by 10 percent over the figure before the Games was held.

Jeff Ruffolo, senior consultant at the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, compared the Beijing Olympics to "the summer of love".

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2008)