Leaders from across Asia gathered in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, to celebrate the opening of the 9th Asian Winter Games on Friday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed leaders from Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Brunei, and Thailand, holding separate talks before joining them at the opening ceremony. With the theme “Dream of Winter, Love among Asia,” President Xi declared the Games officially open.
It’s the third time China is hosting the winter continental games, following the 1996 Harbin Asian Winter Games and the 2007 Changchun Asian Winter Games. The event marks another major international winter sports occasion in China after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Since winning the bid to host the Games in July 2023, Harbin has been gearing up for the grand event. Over 1,200 athletes from 34 countries and regions across Asia are competing, making this edition the largest in terms of participation.
“Fantastic! Very good,” said Husain Al-Musallam, Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia, praising Harbin’s preparations. “I hope the excellent facilities, warm hospitality, and favorable climate will help athletes enjoy their competitions and achieve new heights.”
The Games serve as a powerful bridge for cultural exchange across Asia. “The Asian Winter Games are not just a sporting event but also a unique opportunity for Asian countries and regions to showcase their cultures and deepen mutual understanding,” said Supitr Samahito, Vice President of the Thai Olympic Committee.
Mitsuya Yuko, Vice President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, echoed this sentiment. “The slogan of the 9th Asian Winter Games embodies the vision of deepening connections across Asia through winter sports,” she said. “It is hoped that the power of sports can reconnect people closely and promote communication and mutual understanding.”
During President Xi’s talks with the visiting leaders, cooperation was a key focus. Meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Xi emphasized expanding cooperation in cross-border e-commerce, big data, and artificial intelligence.
In discussions with Pakistani President Arif Alvi, Xi expressed China’s willingness to deepen practical cooperation in various fields and upgrade China-Pakistan Economic Corridor collaboration.
With Brunei’s Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Xi called for building the China-Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area and the New Land-Sea Corridor as dual hubs.
Speaking with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Xi highlighted the importance of strengthening law enforcement, security, and judicial cooperation to safeguard people’s safety and promote orderly exchanges among regional countries.
A number of bilateral cooperation documents were signed following the talks, marking a new chapter in regional collaboration.
