Olympic torch begins Qinghai leg

CHINA: The Beijing Olympic torch continued its circuit through sensitive minority regions on Sunday, kicking off a leg in Qinghai province where anti-Chinese violence by Tibetans flared in March. The torch began its Qinghai leg with a relay through the remote city of Golmud in the centre of the mountainous province, state television reported.

The Qinghai leg follows a tightly controlled one-day relay through the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, three months after deadly riots against China’s rule erupted in the city and spread to neighbouring regions such as Qinghai.

The torch had originally been set to spend three days in Tibet but that was abruptly changed.

State TV on Sunday showed the torch being paraded through Golmud, closely guarded by Olympic security personnel in blue and white tracksuits and dark sunglasses.

Beijing, Sunday, AFP