Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 begin with grand opening ceremony - in pictures

The Olympics returned to Beijing 14 years after the unforgettable 2008 Summer Games as Friday's opening ceremony for the 2022 Winter Olympics marked the end of months of uncertainty over the event due to the ongoing pandemic.

The National Stadium - better known as the Bird's Nest Stadium - was the venue for Friday's opening ceremony, which was a scaled down version of the one in 2008 due to the severe restrictions put in place to stop of the spread of the coronavirus.

Even so, a number of high profile dignitaries were in Beijing for the opening ceremony. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, arrived in Beijing on Friday to attend the Winter Olympics after being invited by President Xi Jinping.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also arrived on Friday for a meeting with President Xi ahead of the opening ceremony

A number of spectators filled up the Bird's Nest stadium before the opening ceremony despite the freezing -4 degrees Celsius temperature.

Still, it was an opportunity for Beijing celebrated the 'Year of the Tiger' on the Olympic stage.

The tiger — a symbol of strength and good luck in Chinese folklore — was featured during the ceremony. The placard bearers for all 91 countries in the 'parade of nations' each wore a unique tiger-head hat, and a children’s choir was outfitted in traditional tiger-head shoes made in the northern Hebei province.

As elite athletes from around the world prepare to compete for gold in China, #AbuDhabi sends warm wishes to @Beijing2022 for a successful Olympic Winter Games and continuation of its Olympic legacy.

Restrictions have been put in place on crowd attendance with organisers deciding last month not to sell tickets