China Firm on Torch Route

If Taiwan is to participate in the 2008 Olympic torch relay, it will be on Beijing’s terms. Beijing Olympic organizers gave no hint yesterday that they would negotiate with Taiwan over the politically sensitive issue.The route proposed by Beijing organizers has the torch arriving in Taiwan from Vietnam on April 30, 2008, and going to China-controlled Hong Kong and Macau. Many in Taiwan have pushed for a route that takes the torch through Taiwan via Asian countries other than China.