Chinese President Xi Jinping left Beijing for Sochi Thursday morning to attend the opening ceremony of the 22nd Winter Olympic Games in Russia, at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Xi's entourage includes Wang Huning, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee; Li Zhanshu, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.

The 22nd Winter Olympic Games will be held from February 7 to 23 in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.