PRAGUE, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- "The Beijing Olympic Games is an event of great significance to China and the whole world as well, and I wish it great success," well-known Czech sinologist Vladislav Drinek told Xinhua Wednesday.

    "The Olympic Games will showcase the traditional cultural values of China and the great achievements it has made in its reforms, and will certainly push forward the country's development in politics, economy, culture and other areas," said Professor Drinek, who is also a member of the European Association of Sinologists.

    Drinek, 78, studied in China's prestigious Peking University in the 1950s, and worked for the Czech Embassy in China for some time. For the past several years, he has been a guest professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, and has been invited many times to deliver lectures around the country.

    "Although physically I am not fit enough to be able to travel to Beijing to watch the Games, I firmly believe China will host a successful Olympic Games, and delight the whole world," he said, with just two days remaining for the gala opening of the Games on Aug. 8.

    He expressed hope that the Beijing Games will not only be a sports festival, but also serve as a stage to spread the Olympic message of peace throughout the world, and to promote dialogue and exchanges between different civilizations.

    Slamming the unfair attacks from some quarters on Beijing's hosting of the Olympic Games, Drinek said such attacks will never stop China's march forward.

    He also said he hopes to share the joy and success of the Olympics with the Chinese people.

    In a recent interview with Xinhua, Milan Jirasek, chaiman of the Czech Olympic Committee, said he believes the Beijing Games will be a total success and will create a brand-new chapter in Olympic history.

    He profusely praised China's preparations for the Games, calling them "extremely excellent."

    The deputy health minister of the Czech Republic, Michael Vit, echoed the views of Drinek and Jirasek.

    In a recent interview with Xinhua, Vit said that as a friend of the Chinese people, he sincerely prays for the Beijing Games and firmly believes it would be a success.

    Vit, who has visited China several times, said the venues of the Beijing Games are among the world's best, being not only beautiful but also of a high technological standard.

    The construction of the Olympic venues is the best proof of China's preparations for the Olympics, and has demonstrated the country's achievements in its economic reforms and the "Chinese speed" at getting things done.

    Vit, who is in charge of quarantine at the Health Ministry, noted that guaranteeing food safety for the Olympics would be a huge challenge as it is an extremely important and complicated project.

    He expressed firm belief that China will succeed in guaranteeing food safety during the Games as the Beijing organizers for the 2008 Olympic Games have attached great importance to the issue and has taken a series of measures in this regard.