Although the Olympic torch relay in Europe encountered protests, the majority of Europeans say their support for the Beijing Games has not changed.

Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin says the Chinese people have been working hard for an event they've waited so long to host.

"Any nation in the world can share the joy from the Olympic Games. China, of course, has the right to host such an international event."

Henri Serandour, the head of France's Olympic committee, says the French have also been preparing for the games, and the country's list of competitors has now been finalized

"Altogether, 300-plus French athletes will compete in the Beijing Games. They've been preparing for the competition since the conclusion of the Athens Games. This July, most of them will go to China for training so they can get better accustomed to the venues and weather conditions."

In the past few days, many Chinese expatriates and students in Europe and Asia have rallied to express their support for the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

Local residents joined the rally in Belgium.

"The rally here is peaceful and in good order. As far as I see, some western media's reports on China are inaccurate. The Olympic Games should be a gathering for the people of the world. It's a sporting event for athletes from all of the countries. We tried to convey that message through the rally."