May 2 (Reuters) - The Olympic flame started its journey through Hong Kong on Friday, the first leg of its China tour after a controversial 20-nation world tour.

Many expect the flame to now have a smooth run on Chinese soil with the possible exception of its Tibet leg in mid-June, leading up to the Aug. 8 opening ceremony in Beijing.

Here is the schedule:

CHINA* May 2 - Hong Kong May 3 - Macau May 4-6 - Hainan Province: Sanya, Wuzhishan, Wanning, Haikou May 7-10 - Guangdong Province: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Huizhou, Shantou May 11-13 - Fujian Province: Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen, Longyan May 14-16 - Jiangxi Province: Ruijin, Jinggangshan, Nanchang May 17-19 - Zhejiang Province: Wenzhou, Shaoxing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing May 20-21 - Shanghai May 22-24 - Jiangsu Province: Suzhou, Nantong, Taizhou, Yangzhou, Nanjing May 26-28 - Anhui Province: Hefei, Huainan, Wuhu, Jixi, Huangshan May 29-31 - Hubei Province: Wuhan, Yichang, Jingzhou Jun 1-3 - Hunan Province: Yueyang, Changsha, Shaoshan Jun 4-6 - Guangxi Region: Guilin, Nanning, Baise Jun 7-9 - Yunnan Province: Kunming, Lijiang, Xamgyi'nyilha (Shangri-la) Jun 10-12 - Guizhou Province: Guiyang, Kaili, Zunyi Jun 13-14 - Chongqing Jun 15-18 - Sichuan Province: Guangan, Mianyang, Guanghan, Leshan, Zigong, Yibin, Chengdu Jun 19-21 - Tibet Region: Shannan Diqu, Lhasa Jun 22-24 - Qinghai Province: Golmud, Qinghai Hu, Xining Jun 25-27 - Xinjiang Region: Urumqi, Kashi, Shihezi, Changji Jun 28-30 - Gansu Province: Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Jiuquan, Tianshu, Lanzhou Jul 2-4 - Ningxia Region: Zhongwei, Wuzhong, Yinchuan June 5-7 - Shaanxi Province: Yanan, Yangling, Xianyang, Xian Jul 8-10 - Shanxi Province: Yuncheng, Pingyao, Taiyuan, Datong Jul 11-13 - Inner Mongolia Region: Hohhot, Ordos, Baotou, Chifeng Jul 14-16 - Heilongjiang Province: Qiqihar, Daqing, Harbin Jul 17-19 - Jilin Province: Songyuan, Changchun, Jilin, Yanji Jul 20-22 - Liaoning Province: Shenyang, Benxi, Liaoyang, Anshan, Dalian Jul 23-26 - Shandong Province: Yantai, Weihai, Qingdao, Rizhao, Linyi, Qufu, Taian, Jinan Jul 28-31 - Henan Province: Shangqiu, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang Aug 1-3 - Hebei Province: Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Tangshan Aug 4-5 - Tianjin Aug 6-8 - Beijing Aug 8 - OPENING CEREMONYd, Qinghai Hu, Xining Jun 25-27 - Xinjiang Region: Urumqi, Kashi, Shihezi, Changji Jun 28-30 - Gansu Province: Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Jiuquan, Tianshu, Lanzhou Jul 2-4 - Ningxia Region: Zhongwei, Wuzhong, Yinchuan June 5-7 - Shaanxi Province: Yanan, Yangling, Xianyang, Xian Jul 8-10 - Shanxi Province: Yuncheng, Pingyao, Taiyuan, Datong Jul 11-13 - Inner Mongolia Region: Hohhot, Ordos, Baotou, Chifeng Jul 14-16 - Heilongjiang Province: Qiqihar, Daqing, Harbin Jul 17-19 - Jilin Province: Songyuan, Changchun, Jilin, Yanji Jul 20-22 - Liaoning Province: Shenyang, Benxi, Liaoyang, Anshan, Dalian Jul 23-26 - Shandong Province: Yantai, Weihai, Qingdao, Rizhao, Linyi, Qufu, Taian, Jinan Jul 28-31 - Henan Province: Shangqiu, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang Aug 1-3 - Hebei Province: Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Tangshan Aug 4-5 - Tianjin Aug 6-8 - Beijing Aug 8 - OPENING CEREMONY

* A separate torch is currently at the base of Mount Everest (Mount Qomolangma), and it will be taken to the summit when the weather permits.

(Compiled by Nick Mulvenney and Liu Zhen; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

(Take a look at the Countdown to Beijing blog at http://blogs.reuters.com/china)

AlertNet news is provided by