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China celebrated the start of the Olympic torch relay on Monday, but heavy security highlighted concerns that protests over Tibet, human rights and other issues may tarnish its historic journey.
President Hu Jintao officially launched the flame on its globe-trotting journey at a nationally televised ceremony from Tiananmen Square, Beijing's political heart, after it arrived from Greece.
Hu held aloft the torch before passing it to Liu Xiang, a Chinese sporting icon who is the reigning 110m hurdles Olympic and world champion.

However tight security showed that China's communist rulers were intent on ensuring the torch relay would begin without any hint of the protests that activists have threatened.

Authorities sealed off Tiananmen Square -- the scene of democracy protests in 1989 that were crushed by the military -- on Sunday night ahead of the torch ceremony.

Security personnel could be seen on surrounding buildings, and nearby subway stations wer...

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