Torch arrives in Vietnam to warm welcome
The Olympic torch arrived in Vietnam on Monday night under tight security. Scores of Chinese and Vietnamese with national flags and Beijing 2008 Olympics flags greeted the torch at Ho Chi Minh City airport as it came from communist ally North Korea.
The torch was to be paraded in the city on Tuesday evening. Vietnam has good overall relations with China and the reception was expected to be warm. Overseas Vietnamese groups opposed to Communist Party rule issued statements calling for protests at the torch relay over the Spratly islands and Paracel islands, saying Hanoi has not protected Vietnamese sovereignty from its large neighbour.
Four hours of events were planned from Ho Chi Minh City centre, including a run by 60 torch bearers along a 10 km to 13 km route through the streets to a military stadium. The torch goes to Hong Kong on Wednesday.