Raising their game: The most visible symbol of China’s powerful economic rise during the past 30 years is perhaps the 2008 Olympic Games. The country spent a whopping $44 billion hosting its coming-out event, dwarfing the $12.8 billion spent by Greece for the 2004 Games. The bling went on overdrive during Aug. 8’s opening ceremony, seen here, leaving London with a lavish standard it’s not even trying to match for the 2012 Games it will be hosting, especially given the current economic crisis.