Xinyuan county in China's northwestern Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region hosted the 2025 "Ice and Snow Silk Road Cup" Narati International Alpine Skiing Invitational on March 1-2. The event drew competitors from Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and China, strengthening the collaboration between China and its regional neighbors in winter sports.

Just a month ago, the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, capital city of Heilongjiang province in the northeastern part of China, highlighted the country's growing prominence in winter sports.

Ma Zhaoyang (L) of Jiangsu Ice and Snow Sports Association speaks with Mirzalyev Ernur (R) and Ubayev Otabek of Uzbekistan National Sports University after the giant slalom event at the 2025 "Ice and Snow Silk Road Cup" Narati International Alpine Skiing Invitational in Xinyuan county, Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, March 1, 2025. [Xinhua/Ding Lei]

Chinese athletes dominated the competition, securing 85 medals, including 32 golds, and topping the medal table among all participating countries and regions. The performance set a new record for total medals and matched Kazakhstan's gold medal record from the 2011 games.

China's winter sports growth extends beyond competitive achievements. Ice and snow activities are steadily gaining traction among everyday citizens.

National Bureau of Statistics data reveals that between the end of the 2022 Winter Olympics and April 2024, 313 million Chinese citizens – representing 22.13% of the country's population – participated in ice and snow sports.

During the 2023-2024 winter season, 264 million people participated in ice and snow sports, representing 18.68% of China's population.

The number of ice and snow sports facilities across China grew significantly, rising from 2,452 venues in 2022 to 2,847 in 2023.

Following the Beijing Winter Olympics, most competition venues underwent renovations and opened their doors to the public. The Big Air event site at Shougang Park, now transformed into an amusement facility, attracts 500,000 visitors each year.

Harbin renovated and expanded numerous existing venues for the 9th Asian Winter Games. Officials say these upgraded facilities will continue serving the public long after the Games' conclusion.

In November 2024, the General Office of the State Council issued guidelines on boosting the ice and snow economy through the high-quality development of winter sports. The plan aims to improve venues, facilities and services by 2027 to increase public participation and enhance athletic performance at international events.

By 2030, China aims to realize greater coordination and integrated development among ice and snow industrial chains to shore up employment and high-quality development. Presumably, many new ice and snow sports venues and winter tourism destinations will attract more visitors and higher-level events by then, with the ice and snow economy expected to reach 1.5 trillion yuan ($205 billion).