As reported by Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi sent a written reply to Bach, who had offered his congratulations to the country's leader on its staging of the Games.

Bach repeated the claim that the Games had helped China to engage more than 300 million people in winter sports, thus leaving an important legacy.

In his reply, Xi said the fulfilment of this goal, which was pledged by the Chinese Government during its successful bid for the event in 2015, was an important milestone for the country to reach.

Xi insisted that organisers successfully held a "simple, safe and splendid" Winter Olympics which earned recognition from the international community.

The United States led a diplomatic boycott of Beijing 2022 over human rights concerns which was joined by countries including Australia, Britain and Canada, although world leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, United Nations secretary general António Guterres and World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus did travel to the Chinese capital.

Beijing 2022 featured a "closed-loop management system" which included strict COVID-19 testing protocol and a requirement for participants to use designated Games transport with the aim of keeping the Olympic bubble separate from the general public.

Events were also staged in front of limited-capacity crowds, with only invited spectators permitted under a special scheme in place.

Some Olympians complained that conditions within the closed loop were draconian, but the Games' COVID-19 protocol has been hailed as a success in China, and is set to be used for other events in the country.

According to Xinhua, Xi claimed that the Games were "a success for the Chinese people" and "also a success for the people around the world" in his remarks to Bach.

German official Bach became the first foreign dignitary to hold face-to-face talks with the Chinese leader for nearly two years on January 25, and sat next to Xi at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Organising Committee President Cai Qi revealed that the pair had met "multiple times" during the Winter Olympics.

In his letter, Xi praised the IOC for its support in staging the Games, and expressed his support for the future work of the organisation.

The IOC had faced criticism from human rights groups for its handling of controversies.

Host nation China came under scrutiny for its treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, which critics have argued amounts to genocide.

China's record in Tibet and Hong Kong, as well as the welfare of tennis player Peng Shuai, were also among the dominant issues in the build-up to Beijing 2022.

In Xinjiang, China has faced accusations of using forced Uyghur labour, operating a mass surveillance programme, detaining more than one million people in internment camps, carrying out forced sterilisations and intentionally destroying Uyghur heritage in the region.

Beijing has consistently denied the charges laid against it, and claims the camps are training centres designed to stamp out Islamist extremism and separatism.

The issue came to the fore during a press conference at the Winter Olympics, when Beijing 2022 spokesperson Yan Jiarong dismissed claims of human rights violations in Xinjiang as "lies".

Peng made several appearances at Beijing 2022, with critics arguing the Olympics became a vehicle for Chinese propaganda. 

The Winter Olympics concluded on February 20, with the Winter Paralympics ongoing.