About 1,500 people were on hand for the start of a torch relay that began with a ceremony alongside the replica of an ancient Omani merchant ship that sailed to China 1,000 years ago, the Xinhua news agency said.

Olympic Committee Chairman Ali Masoud al-Ali Ali Sunaidy received the flame in its special lantern from Liu Jingmin, vice chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games.

Xinhua said several hundred Chinese nationals who work in Oman were among the spectators.

Oman is the ninth stop for the flame, which will move on to Pakistan Wednesday.