Hegang City in China's Heilongjiang Province has been capitalizing the momentum of the upcoming 9th Asian Winter Games to drive growth in the ice and snow industry by holding unique winter sports.
The official competition schedule of the 9th Asian Winter Games was released by the event's organizing committee on Saturday, which will be held from February 7 to 14 in Harbin, the "Ice City" in China.
This event is not just a sporting spectacle, but also a catalyst for economic growth in the region.
Hegang is a city known for its popularity in alpine skiing. Since the 1990s, alpine skiing has been an advantage of Hegang's winter sports activities. The city has nurtured eight athletes who represented China in Winter Olympics, with two of them claiming a total of 11 world championships.
Over the past month, Hegang's ski resorts have seen a significant influx of visitors, with over 3,000 skiing enthusiasts flocking to the slopes. This surge has led to a substantial increase in revenue from tourism-related activities, including ice and snow sightseeings, homestays, and local restaurants, amounting to over 6.26 million yuan (about 855,121 U.S. dollars).
The city is currently hosting a public alpine skiing competition, providing a platform for more skiing lovers to interact and improve their skills.
Participants from various northeastern cities are eager to engage in friendly competition and share their passion for skiing.
"I'm from Yichun. Skiers here in Hegang are exceptionally good in general. Through the competition, we have communications and exchanges of skills. I also enjoy this competition very much," said Liu Fengxuan, a skiing enthusiast from nearby Yichun City in Heilongjiang.
Local authorities are also leveraging the opportunity to promote a range of cultural and tourism activities.
"Taking the advantage of the Asian Winter Games, Hegang has organized over 80 cultural and sports events themed 'Enjoying Ice and Snow'. By integrating sports and tourism, Hegang aims to keep driving growth in the ice and snow industry," said Gu Xiaolong, deputy director of Hegang Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism.
Heilongjiang's Hegang capitalizes momentum of Asian Winter Games to drive growth in ice, snow industry
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that he is stepping down as the Liberal Party leader but will stay on as prime minister until a new leader is selected, while the opposition leader complained that "nothing has changed".
The prime minister said Governor General Mary Simon had granted his request to prorogue Parliament until March 24.
"Nothing has changed," federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said on his social media, questioning what has changed with Trudeau's announcement.
"Every Liberal MP and Leadership contender supported everything Trudeau did for nine years, and now they want to trick voters by swapping in another Liberal face to keep ripping off Canadians for another four years," said Poilievre, the official opposition leader.
Trudeau is facing a revolt within his caucus and dismal public opinion polls, which indicate that his party is likely to be swept from power by Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives in an election, according to local media.
The House of Commons was scheduled to resume on Jan. 27, with the Conservatives planning to advance a non-confidence motion. Other opposition parties had indicated their readiness to bring down Trudeau's minority Liberal government. Trudeau's request for prorogation buys the Liberals time to run an expedited leadership race without facing a confidence vote.
A new session of Parliament would begin with a Speech from the Throne, setting the stage for a key confidence vote that could trigger a federal election in May if the Liberals fall.
Trudeau's decision to continue as prime minister through the next two months comes as Canada braces for the start of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's second term and his threats of 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada.
A majority of members of Parliament from the regional Liberal caucuses told Trudeau over the Christmas break that he must step aside. A national, daylong caucus to discuss the matter had been set for Wednesday, but this is now moot with a leadership race underway.
Liberal members of Parliament and party members will be briefed in the coming days on the party's constitution and caucus' role in the upcoming leadership campaign. According to the Liberal Party of Canada's constitution, "upon the occurrence of a leadership trigger event," or if the leader announces resignation, a meeting of the national board of directors must be called within 27 days. In consultation with the caucus, the board could appoint an interim leader. The top party officials would also be required to set a date for a leadership vote and other parameters around the race.
Trudeau has been the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada since 2013 and prime minister since 2015.
Canadian prime minister to step down as opposition complains "nothing has changed"
