On July 15, the online torch relay for Hangzhou Asian Games entered the second stage when the torch will be passed along the West Asia - East Asia - Southeast Asia route, covering 31 Asian countries and regions.

The Digital Torchbearer Programme is an online activity launched on Smart Hangzhou 2022, aiming to involve more people at the Hangzhou Asian Games and keep their mementoes with the Games. Participants have the chance to take photos with Asian countries and regions involved in the torch relay and win Asian Games-themed gifts and event tickets.

The first stage of the online torch relay started on June 15 when the Asian Games flame was lit. That stage involved the Central Asia-South Asia route and covered 13 Asian countries and regions. The third stage is scheduled to start on August 15 with theme of "Asian Games in China". By early September, the online torch relay will be synchronised with offline torch relay.

Up to now, over 22 million netizens have become digital torchbearers for the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games, accumulating nearly 30 million times of online torch relay.