China's winter tourism craze has reached surprising heights as even the country's southern cities embrace ice and snow-centric entertainment.
In southern metropolis Shenzhen, where temperatures can reach a balmy 23 degrees Celsius in January, a winter wonderland has emerged, offering locals and visitors from nearby cities a rare chance to experience the joys of snow and ice.
Attractions in the Karoo Ice and Snow World are bustling with visitors and filled with the laughter of adults and children. The vast indoor facility features ice slides, sledding hills and even small ski slopes.
"It's really fun here, she loves it. See, she is giggling like crazy. It's really fun here," said a tourist from Hong Kong who brought a young child to the attraction.
"I think it is a very good experience. I think I will come again," said another Hong Kong tourist.
Beyond sheer enjoyment, these facilities also serve as the training base for professional sports teams of Guangdong Province, where Shenzhen is situated.
"Karoo Ski Training Center is currently our own ski academy and we are offering single experience classes and multi-class system courses, along with special programs like winter camp and summer camp. This year, we have organized outdoor skating activities in Jilin Province, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Harbin City. All of our ski instructors have to hold national certificates before they can take up the job," said Li Yang, training consultant at Karoo Ice and Snow World.
Data from travel platforms reveals that four out of the five most popular destination cities in the south now offer ice and snow entertainment, including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou. For regions that rarely see snow, the novelty and excitement of winter sports are particularly enticing.
Southern Chinese cities break ice in foray into winter tourism
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"
