Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

    HUIZHOU, South China, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The sacred Olympic flame is touring Huizhou, nicknamed "the city of goose" in China's Guangdong province, on Friday.

    The relay, the third stop in the province, kicked off with the local backstroker Chen Xiujun as the first bearer in the morning.

    The flame had passed Guangzhou, the capital city of the province, on Wednesday and Shenzhen, China's first special economic zone, on Thursday.

    Thursday also witnessed the history-making moment when a separate relay was held on Mt. Qomolangma, the world's highest peak with an altitude of 8,844.43 meters.

    In Huizhou, the 30.78-kilometer relay route covers the Huizhou West Lake, a natural tourist sight of the city.

    The Huizhou Stadium, where the torch relay started, was built in a shape of a goose. It will also hold the 13th Guangdong Sports Event in 2010.

    During the past 30 years of reform and opening-up, Huizhou has been an economic powerhouse of Guangdong. Manufacturing and research centers of world brands, such as General Electric, SONY, Samsung and Lenovo, all based in Huizhou.

    It also has the world's largest battery producer as well as Asia's biggest telephone manufacturer.