Only 1,000 editions of "the Golden Key" for Beijing 2022 have been produced ©Beijing 2022

A special piece of memorabilia has been launched for the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing – a key engraved with pure gold. 

Only 1,000 of the licensed product, "the Golden Key", have been produced to be sold. 

The key handle is in the shape of a Chinese traditional "Lucky Lock", with the emblem of Beijing 2022 in the middle. 

Shops selling official Beijing 2022 merchandise are beginning to pop up across the Chinese capital ©Beijing 2022
Shops selling official Beijing 2022 merchandise are beginning to pop up across the Chinese capital ©Beijing 2022

The main part of the key shows China's world cultural heritage sites, including Zhoukoudian site, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Grand Canal, the Temple of Heaven and the Ming Tombs.

The licensing programme plays a crucial role in the marketing project of Beijing 2022.

Beijing 2022 opened the first seven stores selling licensed goods last year, offering a series of 140 kinds of memorabilia.