BEIJING - The Winter Olympics torch relay kicked off in Beijing on Wednesday (Feb 2) in a low-key event at the Olympic Forest Park, north of the city, as China enters the final stretch of gearing up for the Winter Games.

About 1,200 torchbearers will carry it over three days as it passes through the capital city and Zhangjiakou in neighbouring Hebei - which will host some of the alpine and cross-country skiing events - before making its way back to the "Birds Nest" stadium for the opening ceremony on Friday.

Under blue winter skies on the second day of the Chinese New Year holiday, about 200 masked spectators braved sub-zero temperatures to gather at an open square, cheering politely as Vice-Premier Han Zheng declared the start of the relay.

Mr Han passed the torch to the first runner, 80-year-old former speed skater Luo Zhihuan, who won China's first winter sport world title in 1963.

After running about 200m, Mr Luo passed the torch to astronaut Jing Haipeng, who passed it on to Chang'e 1 satellite designer Ye Peijian. Basketball star Yao Ming had his turn later in the day, passing the torch to Greece's ambassador to China, Mr Georgios Iliopoulos.

Other than the sporting zones, the torch will pass through a number of landmarks, including a section of the Great Wall on Thursday, and then through the grounds of the old Summer Palace in Beijing on Friday.

But Covid-19 hung heavily over proceedings: Spectators at the launch were required to be fully vaccinated and had to take Covid-19 tests before the event. Despite the outdoor setting, everyone was required to be masked, a sharp contrast to the Communist Party of China's centenary celebrations last July in which tens of thousands sat unmasked in Tiananmen Square. Members of the public were encouraged to follow Wednesday's event online.

Beijing's party chief Cai Qi said during the launch that he hoped the Games would help "dispel the gloom of the pandemic".

National health authorities on Wednesday reported 63 new Covid-19 cases in China, 36 of which were put down as local transmissions. Two were from Beijing.

As one of the remaining major countries still pursuing a zero-Covid-19 policy, China has implemented a strict bubble around the Olympics, with participants not allowed to come into contact with members of the public.

Winter Olympics organisers have reported 99 Covid-19 infections within the Olympic bubble since Jan 4, 19 of whom are athletes and team officials.