Yang Jinkui, head of the Paralympic Department at Beijing 2022, told state-run China Global Television Network that venues had been upgraded to ensure they are accessible for people with disabilities.

Beijing is scheduled to stage the Winter Olympics from February 4 to 20 before playing host to the Winter Paralympics from March 4 to 13.

Venues from Beijing 2008 will be used during the 2022 Winter Paralympics, including the National Stadium, the National Aquatics Centre - now called the Ice Cube - and the National Indoor Stadium.

Like the Winter Olympics, Para athletes are set to compete across the competition zones in Yanqing, Zhangjiakou and Beijing.

"All facilities have met the requirements for accessibility for the Paralympic Games," said Yang.

"Athletes may have visual impairment or physical impairment, so we focused on making designs and upgrades in the facilities and providing information accessibility."

Organisers have confirmed that accessible seats at the National Indoor Stadium that will play host to the wheelchair ice hockey competitions have been increased four-fold.

Yang said an 80-metre barrier-free path had also been created at the Ice Cube, which will stage curling events, and further upgrades had been made to the Athletes’ Village.

"In Yanqing, the Olympic Village was built on a hill and the buildings are at different heights," said Yang.

"But we have built a cosy corridor underground that connects them all.

"So people, especially Paralympians in wheelchairs, can go from one building to another without going outside in the snow or rain."

Yang said organisers had received "some good feedback and practical suggestions" from people with different levels of disability who had tested the barrier-free facilities.

Manuals have been published in braille and large print for spectators and athletes with visual impairments, according to Yang.

Sign language interpreters are also set to be used at press conferences to help people with hearing problems.

Yang insisted athletes were the "top priority" when preparing for the Winter Paralympics and stressed the importance of catering for their varying needs.

"Our venue for Alpine skiing is known as one of the most difficult sites in the world," said Yang.

"Under the certification of the Paralympic experts, we lowered the difficulty slightly to keep Paralympians safe, but it still meets the athletic requirements.

"For transportation, for example, after we pick up delegations from the airport, we will take them to the three villages according to their events.

"We will have a lot of athletes and delegates in wheelchairs so we have considered the accessibility for all vehicles, big or small.

"Then there's catering in the three villages.

"We've considered different tastes, and we also have service personnel to help people who have no arms or those who can't see to put food on their trays."