SAN FRANCISCO: Thousands of people gathered along the route of the Olympic torch relay in San Francisco, United States, on Wednesday to show their support for the event.

The sun was in the sky, as was a couple of light aircraft carrying banners that read "Tibet will always be part of China" and "Go Beijing China, Go Olympics".

As people waved Chinese flags and others featuring the Beijing Olympic mascot Fuwa, dozens of women dressed in red performed a drum dance to the delight of the crowd.

One of the dancers, Li Hua, told the Xinhua News Agency the troupe had traveled 500 miles from Los Angeles to witness the historic relay.

"This is great event not only for the people of San Francisco but for all Chinese Americans and people around the world," she said.

Richard Coile, an American tourist from Georgia, said he was excited by the enthusiasm for the Beijing Olympics.

"What is really happening is different from what I read in the US media," he said.

Siu Yuen Chung, chairman of the Chinese American Association of Commerce (CAAC), said tens of thousands of Chinese Americans had turned out to cheer the torch relay.

One of them was Yi Che, a student, who said: "I'm proud to be Chinese but outraged there are so many people that don't know Tibet is part of China."

Chark Lui, an adviser to the CAAC, was quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle as saying: "San Francisco is the only city in North America to host the torch, and it should not be a political issue."

Despite route changes made to ensure the safety and dignity of the Olympic flame and the torchbearers, the San Francisco leg ended smoothly and the torch was put on a plane bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Amid calls for a boycott of the Beijing Games, the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday published an article by Chinese-American journalist, and one of Thursday's torchbearers, Helen Zia.

"Blanket condemnations of China and its people are as simplistic as blaming all Americans for the US human-rights violations at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay," she wrote.

"Attitudes such as these hark back to the Cold War days, when the United States and China were completely shut off from each other."

Zia also cited a recent survey by the Committee of 100, a national organization of Chinese-American leaders of which she is a member, on American and Chinese attitudes that found both countries have significant fears about each other and believe news coverage on both sides is distorted.

"A peaceful and better world is possible through friendly engagement and mutual understanding - not violent confrontation and polarization," she said.

"It's an Olympic message, a dream that our global civilization and everyone who is a part of it can aspire to - and for which I am proud to carry a torch."

Chinese-American actress, and San Francisco torchbearer, Joan Chen, echoed the sentiment.

In an article published on Wednesday in the Washington Post, she wrote: "A US boycott of the opening ceremonies in Beijing would be counterproductive for relations between the two countries.

"The US boycott of the 1980 Games in Moscow and the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles accomplished nothing."

Chen was born and raised in Shanghai, before moving to the US in the 1980s. She witnessed China's suffering during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) and also its progress over the past 30 years.

"It's clear the majority of Chinese people enjoy much fuller, more abundant lives today than they did 30 years ago. Although much remains to be done, the Chinese government has made rapid progress in opening up and trying to become part of the international community.

"Like many Americans, most Chinese people are disturbed by the recent events in Tibet. But after watching the scenes of violence, the Chinese believe the government is doing the right thing," Chen wrote.