Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

Torchbearer Yang Jinghui shows the torch during the launching ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on May 7, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, May 7 -- The Beijing Olympic torch is making its way through Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. This is the flame's second provincial leg on the Chinese mainland, after its tour of Hainan Island.

    At the Baiyun International Convention Center, Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, Wang Yang, along with BOCOG officials and other government officials in Guangdong, witnessed the lighting of the torch and declared the torch relay underway in Guangzhou.

    Wang Yang said, "Now I declare the start of the torch relay in Guangzhou, the first leg in Guangdong Province for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games!"

    Wang Yang passed the torch to Yang Jinghui, a diving champion at the Athens 2004 Olympics.

    There are more than 200 torchbearers. Among them, government officials, sports celebrities, showbiz figures, and people from the general public. They will scale White Cloud Mountain, pass the Memorial Hall of Sun Yat-sen and the century-old pedestrian street of Beijing Road. The relay crosses the Pearl River twice before reaching Tianhe Sports Stadium. World Fencing champion Dong Zhaozhi, the final torchbearer, will light the cauldron. The relay route covers 43 kilometers.

    This is the second time Guangzhou has hosted a torch relay for an international sports event. The city was also a torch relay route for the 2006 Doha Asian Games. The Beijing Olympic flame will leave for Shenzhen, a coastal economic zone near Guangzhou later on Wednesday.

    (Source: CCTV.com)

Olympic torch starts Guangzhou relay

    GUANGZHOU, South China, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic flame extended its relay Wednesday in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province, after wrapping up its Chinese mainland start in Hainan.

    The Guangzhou relay is going to cover 40 kilometers with 208 torchbearers being able to carry the torch amid cheers and jubilance from thousands of local supporters. Full story

Torchbearer Yang Jinghui runs with the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou Wednesday morning, May 7, 2008.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Local residents celebrate during the launching ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou Wednesday morning, May 7, 2008.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Local residents cheer for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou Wednesday morning, May 7, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Torchbearer Yang Jinghui (R) lights the torch for the next torchbearer Liu Jiangnan during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou Wednesday morning, May 7, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Torchbearer Liu Jiangnan runs with the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou Wednesday morning, May 7, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>