Torch arrives in Vietnam to warm welcome

HO CHI MINH CITY, April 29 (Reuters) - The Olympic torch arrived in Vietnam on Monday night under tight security as activists said they planned demonstrations over Hanoi and Beijing's competing claims for South China Sea islands.

Scores of Chinese and Vietnamese with national flags and Beijing 2008 Olympics flags greeted the torch at Ho Chi Minh City airport as it came from communist ally North Korea, which unlike China and Vietnam remains an isolated country.

The torch was to be paraded in the city, still called Saigon by many, on Tuesday evening. Vietnam has good overall relations with China and the reception was expected to be warm, but not fervent as it was in Pyongyang [SP166884].

Overseas Vietnamese groups opposed to Communist Party rule issued statements calling for protests at the torch relay over the Spratly islands and Paracel islands, saying Hanoi has not protected Vietnamese sovereignty from its large neighbour.

A U.S. citizen of Vietnamese origin was detained and expelled last week after authorities accused him of planning to disrupt the relay or protest outside the Chinese consulate, scene of rare nationalistic demonstrations last December over the islands.

The government frequently makes public statements on its claim to the islands, rocky outcrops that may be rich in oil and gas. China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines all make claims to the Spratlys.

The around the world relay has prompted protests against China's human rights record in Tibet and rallies by Chinese who criticise the West for vilifying Beijing.

Four hours of events were planned from Ho Chi Minh City centre, including a run by 60 torch bearers along a 10 km (six miles) to 13 km (eight miles) route through the streets to a military stadium. The torch goes to Hong Kong on Wednesday. (Reporting by Grant McCool; Editing by Stephen Weeks) ("Countdown to Beijing Olympics" blog at blogs.reuters.com/china)