Harbin, China, October 1, 2024: Xinhua News Agency has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the organising committee of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin.
The 9th Asian Winter Games, scheduled to take place from February 7-14, 2025 will be another major international ice and snow competition in China, following the success of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Harbin, known for its rich ice and snow culture, is the birthplace of winter sports in China and has produced numerous Winter Olympic champions. This will mark the city's third time hosting a major international winter sports event, having previously staged the 1996 Asian Winter Games and the 2009 Winter Universiade.
Xinhua, China's national news agency and a global media organisation with an extensive network, is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee as an international news agency. It has a longstanding reputation for covering international multi-sport events.
Jing Ruyue, secretary general of Xinhua, said the news agency would leverage its expertise in sports reporting and event media operations to serve as the host media for the Games.
According to Jing, Xinhua plans to provide comprehensive and authoritative coverage throughout all stages of the event - from pre-event preparations to competition highlights and post-event reporting.
Jing also emphasized Xinhua's goal of using the platform to promote Harbin's unique cultural and winter sports heritage on an international stage, sharing compelling Chinese stories with the world.
Wang Hesheng, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the Asian Winter Games organising committee, and Deputy Secretary of the Harbin Municipal Committee and Mayor, described the signing of the cooperation agreement as a key milestone in the preparation process. He noted that the partnership would enhance the media outreach strategy, boosting the influence, visibility and cohesion of the Harbin Asian Winter Games.
There will be six sports, 11 disciplines and 64 events at the 9th AWG, with 32 ice events in Harbin and 32 snow events in Yabuli, 190km from Harbin.