Xi’s support drives winter sports boom across China

President Xi Jinping’s passion and support for ice and snow sports have driven a boom of the sports across the country over the past decade.

Modern winter sports emerged in China during the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries with northeastern city Harbin becoming the first Chinese city, embracing the introduction of the sports from Europe. The city with a long-standing tradition in winter sports and numerous Winter Olympic champions will host the 9th Asian Winter Games on February 7.