In Pictures

Photos: Opening ceremony of Winter Olympic Games in Beijing

The Opening Ceremony kicks off the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the first city to host a Summer and Winter Games.

An overview of the stadium ahead of the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 — An overview of the stadium before the Opening Ceremony [François-Xavier Marit/AFP]

By News Agencies

President Xi Jinping has declared the Beijing Winter Olympics open on Friday as China tried to turn the page on a buildup overshadowed by human rights concerns, COVID and a US-led diplomatic boycott.

Fireworks exploded over the “Bird’s Nest” as the lattice-shaped stadium took centre stage, just as it did at the 2008 Games, as Beijing becomes the first city to host both a Summer and Winter Olympics.

The opening ceremony started at 8:00pm (12:00 GMT) and was attended by President Xi Jinping, under whose rule China has adopted a more muscular attitude internationally compared with 14 years ago.

The snowflake-themed ceremony got off to a solemn start when eight soldiers slow-marched with the Chinese flag, before the national anthem rang out into the cold night air.

Xi was given a rapturous welcome by the socially distanced crowd wearing face masks, for what his governing Communist Party hopes will be a soft-power triumph.

China and Russia have both seen ties with Washington deteriorate markedly, and with tensions rising in Europe over Russia’s troop buildup on the Ukrainian border, Putin hailed the “truly unprecedented nature” of relations with his hosts.

The United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia are among countries staging a diplomatic boycott of the Games over China’s rights record, particularly the treatment of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang.

Fireworks explode over the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing — Fireworks explode over the National Stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest", during the Opening Ceremony. [Aly Song/Reuters]

Performers dance during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Beijing National Stadium. — The show is the mastermind of acclaimed Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. [Harrison Hill/Reuters]

Performers dressed as hockey players perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at the Beijing National Stadium on February 04, 2022 in Beijing, — Zhang promised a "totally innovative" ceremony but conceded that the pandemic and freezing weather would limit its scale. [Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

China president Xi Jinping is introduced during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Beijing National — The ceremony began shortly after Xi and International Olympic Committee Chairman Thomas Bach entered the iconic Bird's Nest stadium. [Rob Schumacher/Reuters]

The flag of China is brought into the stadium and raised during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Beijing National Stadium. — The Chinese flag was passed among 56 people representing China's different ethnic groups before it was raised and the national anthem was performed. [Rob Schumacher/Reuters]

An inflatable ballon depicting Bing Dwen Dwen, one of the mascot of the Beijing 202 — An inflatable balloon depicting Bing Dwen Dwen, one of the mascots of the Olympics, during the Opening Ceremony. [Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]

Flag bearers Julia Dujmovits and Benjamin Maier of Team Austria carry their flag during the Opening Ceremony. [Maddie Meyer/Getty Images]

Iran delegation marches into the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games — The Iranian delegation marches into the stadium during the Opening Ceremony. [Rob Schumacher/Reuters]

Dancers perform before the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 — The performers were people from Beijing and nearby Hebei province, with "The Story of a Snowflake" the central thread of the event. [Harrison Hill/Reuters]

Saudi Arabia athletes enter the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Beijing National Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports — Saudi Arabian athletes enter the stadium ceremony. [Rob Schumacher/Reuters]

China athletes enter the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 — The event, filled with imagery of snowflakes and ice, marked the culmination of preparations that were beset by the COVID-19 pandemic and criticism about human rights in China. [Credit Harrison Hill/Reuters]