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 Organizers of the 2008 Beijing Olympics have unveiled the torch for the Beijing Olympic Games and grandiose plans for the torch relay. The torch will be passed in all the five continents around the world and throughout China.

CRI's Xu Weiyi has the story.

Reporter:

At a one-hour ceremony in the Millennium Monument Thursday night in Beijing, a red-and-silver tube shaped like a Chinese scroll and covered in a design of clouds was unveiled as the torch design for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The torch stands 72 centimeters high and weighs about one kilogram.

In the theme of 'Journey of Harmony', the Torch Relay will start from Beijing on March 31, 2008 and travel 22 overseas cities and 113 domestic cities and regions. It will return to Beijing on August 8 at the opening ceremony of the Games.

Mayor of Beijing, Liu Qi says that the torch relay will traverse the longest distance, cover the greatest area and include the largest number of people.

He adds that the torch also indicates the friendship between Chinese people and the rest of the world.

"It is our belief that Beijing Olympic torch relay will open a new chapter in the history of Olympic movement and in the history of friendly cooperation between 1.3 billion Chinese people and the people from the rest of the world."

It's noteworthy that the torch will also travel along 11 cities on the historic 'Silk Road', a symbol of ancient trade links between China and the rest of the world.

Meanwhile, as Asia has so far held only two summer Olympics, the torch relay will focus on this continent. 15 of the 22 overseas cities on the route will be in Asia.

President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge says he appreciates the planned route of the torch relay.

"...crossing the five continents and going to new places, the Beijing 2008 Torch Relay will, as its theme says, be a 'Journey of Harmony', bringing friendship and respect to people of different nationalities, races and creeds."

Another highlight will be the attempt to bring the Olympic Flame to the highest peak in the world Mt. Qomolangma.
The planned route would last 130 days and travel 137,000 kilometers.

Xu Weiyi, CRI News