A number of advanced digital technologies, including digital simulation, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, 5G, 8K and glasses-free 3D, were used at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics to expand people's imagination, a senior official in the capital said, ChinaDaily reported.

"The opening ceremony of the Games in the past week gave people deep impressions about Beijing's fruitful scientific achievements and growth of the digital economy," Wang Lei, deputy director of Beijing's economy and information technology bureau, said at a news conference.

The value-added of Beijing's digital economy reached 1.6 trillion yuan ($250 billion) over the past year, or 40.4% of GDP, according to the bureau.

In 2021, Beijing's software and information services industry generated 2.2 trillion yuan in revenue, double the 2018 level of over 1 trillion yuan.

"The industrial scale of Beijing's software and information service accounts for 25.7 percent of the country, ranking first among provinces and cities in China," Wang said.

Beijing published an action plan to accelerate the construction of its digital economy in August last year.

The plan proposes that Beijing focus on the world's cutting-edge technologies and future strategic requirements, and promote the deep integration of digital technology with the real economy.

To achieve the goal, Beijing has supported the development of communication technologies, including next-generation information and communication networks, the integration of communications and artificial intelligence, the integration of satellite and terrestrial networks, and network security.

According to the plan, Beijing will also advance its research and development of high-performance chips, basic devices, and simulation and verification platforms related to 6G.

Since the plan was published, the city has achieved many results. For example, it has taken the lead in realizing the technical communication of the entire 5G plus 8K industrial chain.

For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, 8K technology has been applied to large-scale event coverage.

Beijing has set up the world's first city-level 8K broadcast system, built 20 large 8K screens and 200 large 8K TVs in public areas to provide viewers with an immersive sporting experience.