A three-day snowboard and freeski big air event at the iconic Shougang Park in Beijing this weekend has driven up the surrounding consumption.
The 2024-2025 FIS Snowboard and Freeski Big Air World Cup was held at Big Air Shougang, a ski jump platform built for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, from Friday to Sunday, drawing 175 competitors from 31 countries and regions.
The elite international game attracted a big crowd of snow-sports lovers to the site, many of whom traveled from afar to experience the excitement of this winter event.
"The atmosphere was great. Especially when seeing athletes from your own country, everyone would cheer for them loudly," said one spectator.
"According to incomplete statistics, the revenue of Shougang Park's catering sector increased by 5 percent this weekend, the revenue of the accommodation sector increased by 43 percent. And by holding such top events, we've built clusters of related industries and injected new impetus for economic and social development," said Wang Jianbo, deputy director of the Shijingshan District's sports bureau.
During the match, there were also music festivals, fairs, food blocks, and an exhibition of boutique ski equipment.
The Big Air Shougang sports stadium in Beijing is the world's first permanent big air venue.
Big air event in Beijing drives up consumption
Big air event in Beijing drives up consumption
A photo exhibition dedicated to the Flying Tigers kicked off on Saturday in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Co-sponsored by the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation and Xinjiang's government departments, the exhibition features 312 rare photographs and six artifacts, highlighting the enduring friendship between Chinese and American people.
Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, expressed hope that the exhibition tour would help more people know about the history of the close cooperation between China and the U.S. in the fight against Japanese invaders during World War II.
"We have many, 50 plus schools throughout China. Most of them we've visited. We have 25 schools in America. So anyway, the significance is we can talk in a way that no other group can talk. We have something in common. The thing in common is what the American pilots and the Chinese people did together 80 years ago," said Greene.
Besides the photo exhibition, the delegation from the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation also went to Xinjiang University and other places to award the title of "Flying Tigers Friendship School" to seven schools in Xinjiang.
"The story of the Flying Tigers is well known in China. I believe that the story and spirit of the Flying Tigers symbolize justice, peace, friendship and cooperation. This event is also an opportunity to tell the story of Xinjiang and amplifies the image of Xinjiang to the American public," said Xu Guixiang, Secretary of Party Committee of the Foreign Affairs Office under the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Government.
The Flying Tigers, officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, was formed in 1941 by U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault. They came to China to help Chinese people fight the invading Japanese troops.
While the Flying Tigers did not directly engage in enemy forces in Xinjiang, they share a lesser-known connection to the autonomous region.
During World War II, the Flying Tigers made attempts to establish alternative flight routes over the Himalayas, known as the Hump route, to circumvent Japan's blockade of strategic materials.
The foundation initiated the Flying Tigers Friendship School and Young Leaders Program in 2022 to promote the spirit of the Flying Tigers among Chinese and American students and deepen mutual respect and cooperation. To date, the program has partnered with nearly 60 schools across China.
Flying Tigers exhibition in Xinjiang highlights China-US friendship
