Jordan Berger, who lost his legs in a car accident in 2006, said he was impressed by the ceremony and by the enthusiasm of the Chinese people. Inviting so many disabled actors to participate in the ceremony shows that the Chinese government is concerned with the welfare of its disabled citizens and their involvement in sports, he said.

"I was absolutely moved by the blind singer Yang Haitao and by the dance of those deaf girls. It was fantastic," said Rasheed Brian, another South African.

"Those disabled actors must have overcome tremendous difficulties to perform that way," he said. "They are really great and deserve every respect from us all".

Sabastiao Inacio Jr., an official of Angola's Ministry of Information, told Xinhua that the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympics was like nothing he had seen before.

"So admirable and amazing," he said. "It was as good as the Olympics."

Inacio said he is confident that blind athlete Jose Sayovo, the African champion in the 100m and 400m races, will realize Angolans' dream of winning a medal at the Paralympic Games.

Broadcasters for Spain's national television network called the opening ceremony "spectacular, passionate, and unforgettable."

Viewers in China were also deeply moved by the opening ceremony, which they called "unbelievable," "stunning", and "emotional."

"The performance opened a window for us to see into the world of the disabled, a world we knew little about before," said bank employee Xie Feng.

"They (the disabled performers) are just so great. I think their performance at the opening ceremony showed us that they are just as capable, or even more capable, than the rest of us."

Sun Xiaobo, whose company bought tickets for him and his colleagues to watch the opening ceremony, compared Saturday's ceremony with the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, which he also watched.

"I would say that the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games was splendid and stunning, but the opening of the Paralympics was more moving and reached into your heart," he said. "They are of two different styles but both successful. I really admire those disabled performers. They are just unbelievable."

Many spectators raved about the hearing-impaired girls' performance of "Hello, Stars", while others admired the "changing seasons" tableau, which they felt reflected Asian aesthetics.

"The girls in white were so beautiful. They were just like angels," said Gao Lin, a female reporter from Guangdong province.

"What moved me most was that these girls could not hear, but they presented the most beautiful performance from their souls," said Gao.

A troupe of 300 hearing-impaired dancers perform in "Hello, Stars".