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E-mail China.org.cn, December 12, 2024
Speakers:
Mr. Zhou Jinqiang, vice president of the 9th Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025 Organizing Committee and vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee
Mr. Han Shengjian, vice president of the 9th Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025 Organizing Committee and vice governor of Heilongjiang province
Mr. Wang Hesheng, vice president and secretary-general of the 9th Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025 Organizing Committee and mayor of Harbin
Ms. Zhang Haihua, deputy secretary-general of the 9th Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025 Organizing Committee and vice mayor of Harbin
Chairperson:
Ms. Shou Xiaoli, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO
Date:
Oct. 29, 2024
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). The 9th Asian Winter Games will be held in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, in 2025. As we approach the 100-day countdown to the Games, we are delighted to have with us Mr. Zhou Jinqiang, vice president of the organizing committee and vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee; Mr. Han Shengjian, vice president of the organizing committee and vice governor of Heilongjiang; Mr. Wang Hesheng, vice president and secretary-general of the organizing committee and mayor of Harbin; and Ms. Zhang Haihua, deputy secretary-general of the organizing committee and vice mayor of Harbin. They will brief you on preparations for the 9th Asian Winter Games.
Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Zhou for his introduction.
Zhou Jinqiang:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics were successfully held under the strong leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, marking a leap forward in China's ice and snow sports development and making the vision of 300 million people participating in ice and snow sports a reality. The 9th Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025, represents another major winter sports event hosted by China following the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. I would now like to provide a brief overview of some relevant points.
First, the continued growth of China's ice and snow sports in the post-Winter Olympics era.
This is primarily reflected in the wide scope of participants, extensive facility coverage, numerous events and strong influence. Driven by the Beijing Winter Olympics, winter sports have transformed from a niche activity to a mainstream one, with youth participation in particular rising significantly, bringing new vitality to the promotion of winter sports. Ice and snow facilities have overcome seasonal and geographical limitations, with continuous improvements in quality and diversity, creating a favorable trend of nationwide, year-round availability. During the 2023-24 snow season, a total of 82 national winter sports events were held across China, along with 21 international events. During the 10th National Public Ice and Snow Season, over 2,000 winter sports events were organized nationwide, sparking a new wave of enthusiasm for winter sports. Last Friday, on Oct. 25, the State Council executive meeting deployed measures aimed at stimulating the vitality of the ice and snow economy with the high-quality development of winter sports, which received a strong response. This will undoubtedly further unleash the potential for winter sports consumption and drive the high-quality growth of the ice and snow economy. With the continued progress of the strategy to expand winter sports southward, westward and eastward, industries related to winter sports culture, equipment and tourism are expected to flourish, making new contributions to building China into a country strong in sports.
Second, the national team is undergoing high-quality training and preparation for the Games.
The 9th Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025 will serve as a critical training ground for the national team's preparations in the lead-up to the Milan Winter Olympics, playing a vital role in identifying talent, strengthening teams and assessing our readiness. To achieve our goal of hosting a spectacular event and competing with excellence, we will field over 170 athletes across all 64 events, aiming for both strong performances and good sportsmanship. In training and preparation, the General Administration of Sport integrates promoting moral and ethical standards into daily management, adhering to the "San Cong Yi Da" training principle — which refers to a high-volume of scientific training, which emphasizes difficulty, strictness and realistic situations — throughout the entire preparation process. Leveraging the advantages of the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, the General Administration of Sport and local authorities have jointly established multiple national teams for winter sports, enhancing overall training efficiency. In terms of athlete selection, we uphold openness, fairness and transparency, coordinating some events with the Milan Winter Olympics qualifiers, scientifically developing selection methods, and subjecting the process to public oversight to ensure the strongest lineup. Regarding sportsmanship and anti-doping, we increase our awareness of potential risks and of the lines that are not to be crossed, thoroughly reviewing potential risks and implementing targeted measures to ensure clean competition.
Third, high-standard work with the organization of the Games
We are committed to implementing the principle of green, inclusive, open and clean as well as the requirement to deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid game throughout the entire process. Currently, the venues have been designated. Five venues in Harbin will host ice sports competitions and eight venues in Yabuli will host snow sports competitions. Venue crews have been established, with skilled and experienced staff members selected for the venues' operations. Related preparations are progressing as planned. From September this year to January next year, the organizing committee will conduct 14 test events to assess venue operations, equipment and facilities, local support, and command and dispatch, helping gain experience for the Games.
So far, over 1,500 athletes from 34 countries and regions have registered. We are looking forward to the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin and wish it a success.
Thank you.
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