The lighting of the Beijing 2008 Olympic flame on Monday marked the start of the global tour of the "lucky cloud" torch.

And IT giant Lenovo, the company behind the torch's distinctive design, hopes its own fortunes will achieve the reach of the relay it is sponsoring.

"Participating in the Olympic torch relay matches our strategy of going global and improving our brand image," Li Lan, the firm's vice-president, said.

"The Olympic torch should display our flare for design."

The Olympic organizing committee announced in April that Lenovo's design, which features a traditional Chinese lucky cloud, had won the honor of serving as the official torch for the Beijing Games.

Seeing the torch lit was an exciting moment for Li.

"We were very encouraged to see the Olympic flame atop the torch we designed," Li said.

She was part of a group of 10 people from the company who attended the flame lighting ceremony in Greece.

"We are also very proud of being the only Chinese sponsor of the torch relay," she said.

As a sponsor, Lenovo was able to nominate more than 1,500 torchbearers globally, among whom more than 200 are members of the public.

"The torchbearers we picked exemplify the Olympic spirit of success and exploration, and they have also made valuable contributions to building a harmonious society," Li said.

"We also want more common people to take part in the torch relay."

Lenovo signed up with the International Olympic Committee in March 2004 to become a worldwide Olympic partner.

It was the first Chinese company to join the Olympic Partner Program.

"We have gained a lot from sponsoring the Olympic Games, as we have expanded our brand image globally," Li, who is also an Olympic torchbearer, said.

At the Games, Lenovo, in collaboration with other technology sponsors, will provide computers and engineers to help distribute real-time data and the results of more than 300 events to the media and audiences worldwide.

(China Daily March 26, 2008)