The Beijing Olympic flame has arrived in Vietnam for the 19th leg of its global journey.

The plane carrying the flame landed Monday night at Ho Chi Minh City in south Vietnam.

This is the first time for the country to host an Olympic torch relay, and also the last leg of the Beijing Olympic flame's global journey outside China.

After completing the torch relay in Ho Chi Minh City, the flame will head to Hong Kong.

Sixty torchbearers will participate in the 9-kilometer relay, which will start from the Opera House in the city center on Tuesday afternoon.

Torchbearer Ding Guanghong, who represents Taiwan-funded enterprises in the city, says he is very proud to be able to carry the Olympic flame and believes the relay will be a big success.

"We fully support the torch relay in Ho Chi Minh City. We also published advertisement in local newspapers to show our support for the event. Now, I've become a torchbearer myself. I think this is the biggest support."

Hoang Vinh Giang, general secretary of the Vietnam Olympic Committee, says that the Olympic torch relay is the most important event in the history of Vietnam's sports, and top leaders of the country have ordered relative departments to well prepare for the torch relay to ensure a complete success.