With tourists flocking to Harbin in China’s Northeast to attend the Asian Winter Games, local taxi driver Xu Feng wanted to find an original way to celebrate.

Asian Winter Games began with an opening ceremony in Harbin, China, featuring 34 participating countries across 11 sports.

The influence of the Asian Winter Games has extended far beyond Harbin, fueling a nationwide winter tourism boom. Since December 2024, winter sports enthusiasm has surged across the country, with a notable trend of "northern snow heading south" as regions in southern China expand their ice and snow offerings.

On February 7, the 9th Asian Winter Games opened in Harbin, dubbed China's “Ice City”. To ensure the success of this largest winter sports event in As

North Korea's state media reported Monday that the Asian Winter Games have opened in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, where three North Korean athletes are participating.

Team China continued their dominance at the Harbin Asian Winter Games by snatching six golds on Tuesday. They also grabbed five silvers and five

Harbin could consolidate its position as one of the world's leading winter tourism destinations. If used properly, this edition of the Asian Winter Games could be a turning point for the city and the rest of the northeast region, transforming it into a global center for winter sports and ice and snow-related tourism.

People pose for photos with a snow sculpture of "Binbin," mascot of the 2025 Asian Winter Games, at the Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang

Silver medalists Chen Meiting (L)/Xu Mengtao of China pose during the awarding ceremony for the freestyle skiing women's aerials synchro final at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Yabuli, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)