The 2008 Beijing Olympics was a riveting production that put China on the world stage.
Today, ahead of the Winter Olympics, also to be held in Beijing, the Asian giant faces a number of challenges including broad criticism of the communist party's alleged record of human rights abuse and a government-led diplomatic boycott. CNN's David Culver compares the political climate of the two Olympics and examines how the relationship between the US and China has deteriorated over time.