(L) Maria Orlovskaya from Russia and (2nd L) Gregory Mikkelsen from Australia, both students at Qinghua University, who will be among five students from around the world to light the Shenzhen Universiade flame, answer questions at a press conference in Beijing yesterday.Xinhua

 

Li Jing

THE Shenzhen Universiade flame will be ignited at Qinghua University in Beijing today, the Games organizing committee said at a press conference.

A rehearsal for the torch lighting ceremony was held on the university campus yesterday, which was also the university’s centenary.

President Hu Jintao, top legislator Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao, and other State and Party leaders including Jia Qinglin, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang attended the celebration at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Originally founded in 1911 as a training school for students aiming to study abroad, the university has trained tens of thousands of scientists and engineers since 1949.

Qinghua’s alumni include President Hu, Wu Bangguo, Vice President Xi Jinping and former Premier Zhu Rongji.

The torch relay is scheduled to start at Beijing University on May 4, Chinese Youth Day, according to Yuan Chengyong, vice director of the cultural activities department of the executive office of the Games organizing committee.

The torch relay would reach Shenzhen University on May 10 and then be carried by mainly college students, said Yuan.

After the relay at Shenzhen University, the torch would be passed on to the Guangzhou-based Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) University and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies at Guangzhou University Town.

On Aug. 10 and 11, two days before the opening of the Universiade, the relay would continue in Shenzhen, covering the downtown area and Longgang District, which was home to the Universiade Center and Athletes Village.