(abc) - The Beijing Olympic flame arrived in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City overnight from North Korea, on one of the final legs of its troubled worldwide journey.
Security in Vietnam's largest city, formerly Saigon, was tight ahead of today's relay.
About 100 security forces were on duty at the city's international airport.
Vietnam's Government has promised its northern neighbour and communist ally China that the relay will not be marred by protesters, following pro-Tibet demonstrations in cities including London, Paris and San Francisco.
Vietnamese activists have announced plans to peacefully protest against Beijing's claim over the disputed Spratly and Paracel Island chains in the South China Sea, leading to several police detentions in recent days.
Street rallies are rare in Vietnam, a one-party State, but activists said they planned to protest today in the capital Hanoi and the southern port of Ho Chi Minh City.