Road to Beijing: 2022 timeline

July 31, 2015: Beijing wins the bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics at the 128th session of the International Olympic Committee in Kuala Lumpur, making the Chinese capital the first city in the world to stage both the summer and winter editions of the Games.

Dec 15, 2017: The Beijing 2022 organizing committee unveils the official emblems of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games at a ceremony at the National Aquatics Center. Designed by artist Lin Cunzhen, the emblems combine the traditional art of Chinese calligraphy with the dynamism of winter sports.

March 18, 2018: Beijing receives the Paralympic flag from South Korea at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympic Winter Games. The handover is followed by an art performance directed by Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, raising anticipation levels for Beijing 2022.

Sept 17, 2019: China unveils the official mascots for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Paralympics mascot Shuey Rhon Rhon resembles a red lantern, symbolizing warmth, friendship and the resilience of disabled athletes. In ancient Chinese culture, lanterns were associated with harvest, celebration, prosperity and light.

Dec 5, 2019: Beijing begins the recruitment of 27,000 volunteers for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and 12,000 for the Winter Paralympics. Job categories include international liaison, competition organization, media operation and venue services.

Dec 30, 2019: The high-speed railway line connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the co-host city of the Winter Games in Hebei province, officially begins operation. The 174-kilometer railway, boasting a maximum speed of 350 kph, reduces the travel time between Beijing and Zhangjiakou from over three hours to 47 minutes, facilitating intercity traffic during and beyond the Games.

Dec 31, 2020: Beijing releases the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games' official sports pictograms, which were inspired by the traditional Chinese art of seal engraving. The Paralympic pictograms feature six symbols identifying each of the sports at the Games.

Feb 4, 2021: Beijing unveils the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games torches at the one-year countdown celebration. The torches spiral upward to create the image of two overlapping, fluttering ribbons. The Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games torch features a gold inner ribbon with a silver exterior. The combination of silver and gold symbolizes "glory and dreams" while reflecting the Paralympic values of "determination, equality, inspiration and courage".

Oct 26, 2021: Beijing unveils the medals for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, sparking worldwide anticipation for the Games.