The 22nd edition of the Winter Olympics opened today in Russia. Several Western leaders boycotted the event to protest Russia's laws against "homosexual propaganda." Instead, the spotlight is on Chinese President Xi Jinxing, and on the two countries' closer economic, energy, defence, and trade ties.

Sochi (AsiaNews) - The opening ceremony of the 22^nd Olympic Winter Games got underway today in Sochi (Russia). The Games, set to run from 7 to 23 February, highlight renewed economic, trade, energy and military ties between China and Russia.

Whilst most Western leaders chose to stay away from the Games - including US President Barack Obama, German President Joachim Gauch, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President François Hollande, China's President Xi Jinping took centre stage.

The Chinese leader is attending the opening ceremony as part of his three-day official visit to Russia, taking advantage of the Olympic venue to show to the world the new Moscow-Beijing axis.

Sino-Russian cooperation extends from the Silk Road to a shared political and diplomatic vision for the Syrian crisis, during which Beijing to Moscow acted together to stop a US intervention, with trade between the two neighbours expected to reach US0 billion by the end of next year.

Like in the past, a sporting event is serving as a venue to boost bilateral ties and show off the (political and military) balance of power on a world stage. Indeed, in his first foreign trip in 2014, Xi Jinping did not choose Russia by chance.

Putin described Xi's trip as a "visit to good friends," expressing his best wishes to China for the Lunar New year and the start of the Year of the Horse.

The opening ceremony, which began today shortly after 8 pm local time, marks the official start of Games already marked by security concerns and the controversy over the Kremlin's recent laws against homosexual propaganda.

There are also strong concerns about possible disturbances in the country, allegations about corruption in the Games' organisation as well as complaints about poor facilities for athletes, visitors, and foreign journalists covering the event.

However, last summer's decision by the Russian government to ban "homosexual propaganda" among minors is the major cause of confrontation. The new law imposes fines and prison terms on anyone involved in "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations".

Public blasphemy and defamation have also been criminalised.

More than 200 prominent international authors, including Gunter Grass, Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan and Russia's foremost writer Lyudmila Ulitskaya have signed an open letter condemning Putin's laws.

For her part, Ulitskaya said she was "deeply concerned about the increasing restrictions on freedom of speech" in her country.

Political considerations, boycott campaigns and diplomatic squabbles aside, the Games will now take centre stage. They will be the first event of their kind since the Moscow Olympics in 1980, which were boycotted by the United States at the height of the Cold War.

Some 2,600 athletes representing 88 countries (more than 320 from Asia) will compete in 98 events, over a two-week period.

The United States (230) and Russia (225) have the largest teams at these Games. India, which will be represented by one athlete, will fly the Olympic flag after the International Olympic Committee suspended the Indian Olympic Committee over corruption allegations.

At Sochi, East Timor (Timor Leste) will be Asia's newest first-time participant. North Korea, which was present in 2010, is not sending any athletes this time. Thailand and the Philippines, where were at the Vancouver Games in Canada in 2010, are back however.

Yohan Goutt Goncalves stands out among Asia's Olympic athletes. He will be the first representative from East Timor in a Winter Olympic Games. The young skier will take part in the slalom. His goal is to compete but also to be the "ambassador" of a nation that wants "to show that there is more to East Timor than war".

Pakistan is sending one athlete (compared to the three who qualified).

Dachhiri Sherpa will represent Nepal, the only athlete it has ever had since 2002, in cross country skiing. For the 43-yeaer-old, this will be his third Olympiad. His goal is "to finish the race."

Michael Christian Martinez, 17, is the first figure skater from the Philippines.

Singapore-born, British violinist Vanessa-Mae Nicholson Vanakorn, 35, will represent her father's homeland, Thailand, after qualifying at the last moment.

• russia
• china
• sochi
• olympics