9th Asian Winter Games ends with grand closing ceremony

The 9th Asian Winter Games (AWG) came to a close on Friday in Harbin after days of competition that witnessed historic breakthroughs for several delegations.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the friendship-themed closing ceremony at the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center, where Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, First Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), officially declared the Games closed.

With Cambodia and Saudi Arabia making their debut at the event, Harbin 2025 set a record by welcoming over 1,200 athletes from 34 countries and regions, making it the largest edition of the event in history in terms of participation.

The Harbin 2025 AWG, which officially opened on Feb 7, featured 64 events across 11 disciplines and six sports, with curling mixed doubles, ski mountaineering, and freestyle skiing aerials synchro included for the first time, while the ice hockey and curling events kicked off early on Feb 3 and 4, respectively.

China won 32 gold, 27 silver, and 26 bronze medals to finish atop the medal tally, tying the record for the most gold medals set by Kazakhstan at the 7th Asian Winter Games in Astana-Almaty in 2011.

Gao Zhidan, President of the Harbin AWG Organizing Committee, expressed gratitude for the successful execution of the event, emphasizing the spirit of unity and sportsmanship it fostered.

Under the theme "Spring Warms Harbin, Love Inspires Asia", the hour-long closing ceremony celebrated the unifying power of winter sports as the continental event returned to China's "Ice City" for the second time since its first hosting in 1996.

Freestyle skier and Olympic champion Xu Mengtao, who secured two gold medals and a silver in Harbin, carried the flag for the Chinese delegation during the closing ceremony.

Following a performance that highlighted how sports promote unity, flagbearers and athletes stepped into the "Lilac Ruyi Pattern" displayed on the ground, encircled by the mascots "Bin Bin" and "Ni Ni", symbolizing the unity of Asian countries and regions and embodying the profound essence of "Togetherness" through their close-knit formation.

As the OCA flag was lowered and the OCA anthem played, Harbin's Mayor Wang Hesheng handed the flag to Fok, who in turn entrusted it to the H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Arabia Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Winter Games for the first time in 2029.

As the cauldron's light faded, ice ballet dancers and children holding ice lanterns twirled around the glowing lights, safeguarding the spark of winter dreams.

At the Harbin Ice and Snow World sub-venue, the "Snowy Lilac" Cauldron slowly dimmed, yet the glow of the ice lanterns remained radiant, symbolizing not only the glory of sports shining through the icy landscape but also representing the promising future of winter sports in Asia -- flourishing and ever-growing.

Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown and Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene attended the closing ceremony.

9th Asian Winter Games ends with grand closing ceremony

9th Asian Winter Games ends with grand closing ceremony

Permanent representative of Israel to the United Nations (UN) Danny Danon on Thursday denied that any discussions had occurred between Israel and the UN regarding delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Danon made these remarks at the UN headquarters in response to a query from a China Central Television (CCTV) reporter about the ongoing failure to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Israel blocked the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, following the end of the first phase of a January ceasefire deal with Hamas. It resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18.

With no food, no supplies, and no relief in sight, Gazans have been enduring a relentless fight for survival.

In response to mounting international condemnation, Israel has proposed that its military take over the distribution of aid - a move widely criticized by the international community.

Briefing a Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher noted that the UN has met for over 12 times with the Israeli authorities regarding the latter's proposed aid distribution model, yet no solution had been found.

Danon, however, stated that no discussions have taken place in recent weeks regarding the issue.

"I don't know about that. Actually I listened to Mr. Fletcher's remarks at the Security Council the other day, and I can tell you that he visited Israel but he had no discussion about that fund because it was way back and in the last few weeks there was no dialogue about that. I would expect UN officials to engage when they want to speak about issues they know how to reach us, they know how to reach the U.S. mission. We are here to engage," he said.

"They got some information from the media, I assume. But I think they should look into that and to realize that if they want to be involved, that is the way to be involved," he added, reiterating that the UN has not reached out.

In response to Danon's denial, the United Nations reaffirmed its position, standing by the public statement released by Fletcher.

"I heard what he said, and we stand by what Mr. Fletcher has said," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General noted later on the day, commenting on Danon's statement.

"Mr. Fletcher gave the details," he continued.

Israel envoy denies discussions with UN on enabling Gaza aid deliveries