BEIJING, China, April 27. THE Olympic torch will light the flame in Beijing on Aug. 8, 2008, but the route the torch will have traveled might not match the original plan. Pegged to cover 85,000 miles during a 130-day journey, the torch was expected to make a stop in Taiwan. But, due to lengthy political discord, Taiwan does not want to be included if the current plan is used.
Designed as a Chinese scroll, the torch will begin its venture through five continents on March 25 in Greece and travel the world until it reaches Beijing for the Opening Ceremony. The Beijing Organizing Committee has emphasized that the torch relay will be the most encompassing of all-time, reaching out to the most people. It's also expected to scale Mount Everest.
The problems between China and Taiwan are of the political variety. China wants the torch to go through Taiwan, a Chinese territory, as part of the domestic route, according to an Associated Press report. As for Taiwan, it wants the torch to enter and leave the country from countries other than China, suggesting that Taiwan is an independent nation. China and Taiwan will continue to negotiate to find an acceptable agreement.