INTERNATIONAL: A few dozen journalists, Beijing 2022 Games staff and volunteers were able to climb up of a section of the Great Wall of China on Wednesday ,February 9, as part of an official tour.

The 90-minute tour was organised as a sideline event for those confined to the "closed loop" Olympic bubble, with the area surrounding the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall aappearing to be completely devoid of local residents.

The Games are taking place inside a "closed loop" because of COVID-19, keeping competitors and other Olympics personnel away from the public, and will be attended only by small, selected audiences.

According to historical records, parts of the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall, which lies around 60 kilometres from the centre of Beijing, date back as far as 700 BC during China's Spring and Autumn period.