HO CHI MINH CITY (Vietnam), April 29: Crowds of Chinese waved red national flags and cheered the Olympic torch in Vietnam on Tuesday, the last international leg of its harried voyage around the world.

The relay in Ho Chi Minh City was completed as China on Tuesday jailed 30 people for last month’s riots in Tibet.

The relay has endured the most tortuous journey of its history, beset by trouble since protesters breached security at the torch-lighting ceremony at Ancient Olympia in Greece last month. Protesters have jostled the torchbearers in several places and denounced Beijing’s human rights record, especially in Tibet.

The relay in southern Vietnam was peaceful but, as in many other cities, took place under massive security.

Torch bearers were flanked and escorted by a security convoy of dozens of police motorcycles, cars and minivans, watched by thousands lining the streets during the night-time procession.

Young Chinese nationalists, some who live or work in Vietnam and others who travelled from China wore “we love China” and “we are proud to be from China” on white Beijing 2008 Olympics T-shirts.

They screamed as the torch passed by amid a cacophony of loud motorbike and car horns en route to a military stadium.

There, young Chinese shouted “Go China” or “Come on China” in Chinese.

Vietnamese students waved the Vietnam national flag and cheered too. Some also held banners marking the April 30 Liberation Day in the Southeast Asian country and May Day.

There were no signs of disruption in the former Saigon, despite a call for demonstrations by overseas Vietnamese groups opposed to Communist Party rule.

The torch heads to China on Wednesday, to Hong Kong, beginning the 100-day countdown to the Aug 8 Beijing Games.

Last month’s Tibetan protests and the sympathy they engendered abroad have stoked the fires of patriotism in China that tend to flare when sensitivities about the country’s standing collide with international events.

The around-the-world torch relay has been dogged by anti-China protests that in turn prompted rallies by overseas Chinese, who are proud that their country is hosting the Olympics and of Beijing’s efforts to modernise Tibet.

In Hong Kong, about 3,000 policemen will guard the torch during its 8-hour relay.

In recent weeks, analysts say Hong Kong authorities have been under pressure from Beijing to tighten its immigration and security apparatus to smother any possible flare-up of trouble during the torch’s first touchdown on Chinese soil following its protest-marred global six-week tour.

Hong Kong blocked three pro-Tibet campaigners from entering the city on Tuesday and deported them, activists said.

—Reuters