Paralympic Games begin in Beijing
By AUDRA ANG
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
Athletes from Taiwan parade during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games in Beijing Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008.
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(AP Photo/Greg Baker)
BEIJING -- The Paralympic Games opened in Beijing on Saturday with a burst of fireworks as China welcomed another chance to cement its role as a global player to an international audience.
Thousands of cheerleaders and dancers in puffy, rainbow-colored suits performed a dance routine in the center of the field at the National Stadium before athletes from 148 countries were introduced. The crowd cheered and waved flags as China's Communist Party leaders and foreign dignitaries looked on.