This project examines the reception of the Beijing Olympic opening ceremonies of 2008 and 2022 through a comparative international media analysis. For this, we will analyse three types of sources: (1) the official media guides produced by the 2008 and 2022 Organising Committees, (2) television commentaries from Chinese, French, British and/or American broadcasters, and (3) reports from leading newspapers in the same regions. The objectives are, but not limited, to: (a) compare the ceremonies’ intended messages with their interpretation in local media; (b) identify how meanings evolve across different stages of mediation, from official discourse to television narration and newspaper coverage; (c) analyse the role of local cultural and historical contexts in shaping reception; (d) examine the persistence and transformation of Chinese stereotypes in French, British, and American media; and (f) trace how perceptions of China, as a major global player, shifted between the 2008 and 2022 Games.