China vows to keep torch on track

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Beijing has said "no force" can stop the Olympic flame relay, as it faces protests on the US leg of its journey.

Seven pro-Tibet demonstrators have already been arrested in San Francisco after tying anti-Chinese banners to the cables of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The flame is due to arrive in the city on Tuesday, following anti-Chinese protests in Paris and London.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) members meeting in Beijing say they are to review future Olympic torch relays.

The flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, on 24 March and is being relayed by torch through 20 countries before being carried into the opening ceremony at the Beijing Games on 8 August.

But the torch had to be put out three times in Paris because of the protests.The flame itself was kept alight in a safety lantern.

Demonstrators are protesting at China's security crackdown in Tibet after recent unrest against Chinese rule.

Tibetan exile groups say Chinese security forces killed dozens of protesters. Beijing says about 19 people were killed in rioting.

Chinese state TV said the protesters in London and Paris were a "handful of Tibetan separatists".

Condemning the disruption to the relay,

Beijing Olympic organising committee spokesman Sun Weide told reporters the torch relay would continue as planned.

"No force can stop the torch relay of the Beijing Games," he said in Beijing.

But the International Olympic Commitee, currently holding a meeting in the Chinese capital, is to discuss whether torch relays should continue for future Games.

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