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Comment (BEIJING (AFP) - - China launched the Olympic torch relay here on Monday but tight security highlighted concerns that protests over Tibet, human rights and other issues may tarnish its journey around the world.
President Hu Jintao officially set the flame off on its globe-trotting trip at a nationally televised ceremony from Tiananmen Square, Beijing's political heart, after it arrived from Greece earlier Monday.
The 130-day relay, hailed as the most ambitious ever, will cross 19 countries before returning to China for a three-month tour that includes an ascent of Mount Everest.
"I declare the start of the torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games," said Hu, holding aloft the torch before passing it to Liu Xiang, a Chinese sporting icon who is the reigning 110m hurdles Olympic and world champion.
China's newly appointed Vice President Xi Jingping, widely tipped to eventually succeed Hu, used the ceremony to welcome the world to the Chinese capital for the August ...
