On 20 October 2021, it was announced that the Chinese leg had only three days, following a series of displays of the flame in cities around Beijing.

The physical relay started on 2 February, at the morning of the first day of the Chinese New Year as stage 3.

[4] The final torch was lit by long-distance runner Dilnigar Ilhamjan (Dinige'er Yilamujiang) and nordic combined Zhao Jiawen.

Activists staged a protest at the Olympic torch lighting ceremony in Greece.

[5] The choice to have Qi Fabao, a People's Liberation Army commander famous for his participation in the 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes, be a torchbearer has been controversial with India launching a diplomatic boycott of the games as a result.