An extravagant show of amazing performances marks the official openning of the China's 11th National Winter Games in Qiqihar in northeastern Heilongjiang Province Friday evening.

State Councilor Chen Zhili declared the opening of the 10-day games in the newly built speed skating stadium located in the western part of the city. The national winter sports gala is the last multi-sport games before China hosts the 29th Olympic Games in August of 2008.

The stadium, a struture which occupies 19,143 square meters with a compacity of 1,500 spectators, is the arena where all the speed skating events of the games will be held.

The theme of the openning ceremony is "Ice and Snow of 2008". The openning ceremony, with the theme of "Ice and Snow of 2008", comprises fiver chapters, features performances and sports on ice and snow.

The games, held every four years, will feature in 90 events of speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey, skiing and biathlon.

To ensure the smooth running of the games, Qiqihar, the second largest city of Heilongjiang province with a population of some 3 million, has invested heavily over the past few years.

"We have invested a total of 119 million yuan (about US$16 million) on refurishing the relevant facilities alone," Qiqihar's deputy mayor Ma Liqun told reporters Friday morning.

Offcials from the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC) also vowed to make the games a great success.

"We will intensify efforts in security, fair play and doping control to make the games a great success," said Wang Yitao, director of GASC's Winter Sports Management Center.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2008)