Timeline: China at the Winter Olympic Games since 1980

1980 Lake Placid, US

China made its debut with 28 athletes competing in 18 events. No medals.

1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia

China sent 37 athletes to compete in 26 events. No medals.

1988 Calgary, Canada

Li Yan won three medals at the women's short track speedskating, which was only an exhibition sport at that time. She claimed gold in the 1,000m and two bronzes in the 500m and 1,500m, but they were not counted on the official medal tally.

1992 Albertville, France

Ye Qiaobo won silver at the women's 500m speedskating, which was China's first medal at the Winter Olympic Games. She also claimed gold in the 1,000m.

China ranked 15th in the medal tally. After these Games, the last where the Summer and Winter Games were held in the same year, the schedule for the Winter Olympics was changed.

1994 Lillehammer, Norway

Chen Lu won bronze medal in the women's singles figure skating, which was the first medal for China in the sport.

China ranked 19th in the medal tally with one silver and two bronzes.

1998 Nagano, Japan

Xu Nannan won the first medal for China in a snow event at the Winter Olympics by claiming silver in the women's freestyle skiing aerials. The women's ice hockey team finished fourth.

China won a total of six silvers and two bronze, ranking 16th in medal tally.

2002 Salt Lake City, US

Yang Yang broke a gold medal jinx for China by winning the women's short track speedskating 500m.

China won two gold medals, two silver and four bronzes, ranking 13th in the medal tally.

2006 Turin, Italy

Han Xiaopeng won gold in the men's freestyle skiing aerials, which was the first gold for China in a snow event.

China claimed two golds, four silvers and five bronzes in total, ranking 14th.

2010 Vancouver, Canada

Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo won gold in the figure skating pairs event. The couple claimed the first gold for China in the sport. The women's short track speedskating team swept all four golds.

China won a record five golds, two silvers and four bronzes, ranking 7th.