Beijing: China today officially launched round-the-world Olympic Torch Relay at a grandiose ceremony amid a riot of colour and thick blanket of security at the Tiananmen Square under the shadow of unrest in Tibet.

Highlighting the pride and prestige invested by China in the Beijing Olympics, President Hu Jintao himself re-lit the flame hours after it was brought in an encased lantern by a special aircraft from Greece, held the torch aloft and handed it over to Chinese world champion hurdler Liu Xiang before a cheering crowd.

Thousands of doves and balloons were released into the sky in clear weather, as Hu said from the red-carpeted rostrum at the world's largest square in front of the cavernous Great Hall of the People, "I declare the torch relay of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games begun".

The 130-day, 137,000km longest-ever relay in the Olympic history will start tomorrow with the Kazakh city of Almaty as the starting point in its journey through 135 cities before the flame arrives at the National Stadium in Beijing on August 8 for the opening ceremony.

"The century-old dream of the Chinese to host the Olympics has turned into a reality," Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping, likely heir apparent of Hu who is overseeing the Olympics preparations, said in his speech after the ceremony began with 200 flagmen entered carrying the Chinese national flag, the International Olympic Committee flag and the Olympic flag.
Source : PTI