Dominance at Harbin 2025, Olympic Aspirations, and Nationwide Growth

Volunteers were observed at an installation for the 2025 Asian Winter Games at the main press center in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

The success of Team China at the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games highlighted China's dedication to both competitive excellence and the promotion of winter sports across the nation, according to Wang Lei, director of China's Winter Sports Management Center. China fielded its largest-ever delegation, with a record 170 athletes competing in all 64 events. Athletes represented a variety of regions, including traditional northern areas and emerging regions.

The expanded talent pool has helped China improve its performance in both traditional events, such as speed skating, and newer disciplines like ski mountaineering. With one day remaining before the closing ceremony, China led the medal tally with its best record in the history of the Games. Wang explained that the Games were an important opportunity to refine teams, cultivate talent, and accumulate experience ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

China's performance in Harbin was marked by both seasoned champions and rising stars. Established athletes continued to dominate, while young talents made their mark. This success provides confidence in the continuous high-quality development of China's competitive winter sports.

Looking ahead to the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Wang acknowledged that there is still work to be done. China is determined to learn from the performance of China's summer athletes, especially in terms of teamwork and perseverance. They will continue to enhance training systems, prepare rigorously, and improve the overall competitiveness of winter sports in China.

Beyond the competitive arena, public participation in winter sports has surged across China. Since the Beijing Winter Olympics, winter sports have flourished nationwide, with more people getting involved. By April 2024, over 313 million people had participated in winter sports. This reflects a broadening appeal of winter sports beyond northern regions.

The growing enthusiasm is also evident in the increasing number of ice and snow sports venues nationwide. By 2023, China had over 2,800 winter sports venues. Winter sports tourism is booming in regions like Xinjiang and Sichuan. The culture and tourism ministry predicts significant revenue from winter sports tourism by the end of 2025. Winter sports have become an important driver in building a healthy China and a new engine for promoting balanced regional economic development.