Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

Torchbearer Chen Hong, a badminton athlete, lights the cauldron at the celebration ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay at Changting County in Longyan, southeast China's Fujian Province, on May 13, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    LONGYAN, Southeast China, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic torch relay kicked off at 8:12 am local time Wednesday in Longyan, the western city of Fujian Province and also a main origin and habitation place for Hakka people.

    The torch relay was launched with Olympic weightlifting medalist Zhang Xiangxiang running the first leg on the People's Square in the center of the city.

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Longyan, southeast China's Fujian Province, is held on May 13, 2008.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The relay, the fourth and also the last stop in Fujian Province, will cover 30.5 kilometers with 208 torchbearers.

    After three days in Fujian, the torch will head to Jiangxi Province in East China.