The Angolan Olympic Committee and the Angolan Paralympic Committee on Sunday launched the "To Beijing 2008 Olympic Games" hiking activity to support China hosting the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

At 8:45 a.m. local time (0745 GMT), Angolan National Assembly Speaker Roberto de Almeida, holding the torch, led Angolan senior officials and some 5,000 local people to start the "To Beijing 2008 Olympic Games" hiking activity at the National Stadium in the capital Luanda.

Before the start of the 5,000-meter-long hiking activity, the Angolan speaker told Chinese ambassador to Angola Zhang Beisan that Angola supports China to hold the 2008 Olympic Games. "I wish China a successful holding of the 2008 Olympic Games," he said.

To enrich Angolan people's knowledge about China's holding of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the Chinese embassy set up an exhibition stall at the Angolan National Stadium in the capital Luanda to distribute materials publicizing the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and spread knowledge about preparations made by the Chinese government.

The exhibition stall also attracted Speaker de Almeida and ambassador Zhang Beisan presents a set of "Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Mascots" to the speaker.

(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2008)