As the Tokyo 2020 Olympics officially opened with the opening ceremony in Tokyo on Friday, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are on the horizon.

A Beijing 2022 delegation is in Tokyo to observe the Games-time operations and activities of different functional areas.

Chang Yu, director general of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Winter Olympic Games' (BOCOG) opening and closing ceremonies department, told Xinhua that they have gained useful insights on presenting a successful opening ceremony under the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The opening ceremony features a lot of highlights despite the influence of COVID-19. BOCOG is engaging actively in preparing to present a splendid Beijing 2022 opening ceremony in a simple and safe manner, with COVID-19 countermeasures in mind," Chang said.

The opening ceremony of Beijing 2022 is scheduled to take place on February 4 next year at Beijing's National Stadium, known as the "Bird's Nest."