CHINA has stepped up preparations for the Olympic flame's ascent of Mount Qomolangma after the squad to carry the flame to the top was announced yesterday at a press conference at the Qomolangma media center, 5,040 meters above sea level.

Zhang Zhijian, spokesman for the Chinese Mountaineering Team, named the 36-strong team, which includes 24 ethnic Tibetans, 10 Han Chinese, one from the Tu ethnic group and one from the Tujia ethnic group.

"This well-organized team consists of experienced mountaineers and university students who have climbing experience, so I believe they will augment each other in every respect of the ascent," Zhang said.

Zhang confirmed that the team would be headed by the well-known alpinist Wang Yongfeng.

The team, with an average age of 30.2, will also have three women climbers, two Tibetans and one Han Chinese.

"Snowfalls in the past couple of days had some impact upon our schedule but everything is under control," said Zhang. "The trails and some of the tents have been destroyed, so the main jobs the torch climbers have to do is to repair the damaged facilities."

"I don't want to be a fortune-teller. The mountaineers are progressing but the final day to ascend has to be decided after all factors are considered," said Zhang when asked whether the day of ascent had been decided.

After two days of snowstorms, weather conditions in the Himalayas have improved. According to some experienced mountaineers, climbers needed only four or five days to reach the top of the world's tallest peak if everything went well.

Beijing promised when it bid seven years ago that the sacred Olympic flame would reach the world's highest peak.

May and September are the most popular months for expeditions on Mt. Qomolangma.

Meanwhile, the torch has returned to the Chinese mainland.

During a three-day journey in South China's Hainan Province, the Olympic torch relay received a warm welcome by Hainan people, including ethnic Li, Miao and Hui.

Hainan Province is home to 38 ethnic groups and an ethnic population of 1 million. When the Olympic torch relay toured Sanya, Wuzhishan, Wanning and Qionghai, ethnic people thronged the relay route, cheering and chanting support for the Olympics.

(Xinhua)