BoomingwintertourismandincreasedmassparticipationinwintersportscontinuetoinjectvitalitytotheiceandsnowseasoninChina.SignificantprogresshasbeenmadeinwinteractivitiesundertheleadershipofPresidentXiJinping,whoonmanyoccasionshasstressedthedevelopmentofwintersportsandiceandsnowindustries.AsthewinteractivitiesgaingreatermomentuminChina,let'sreviewhispassionandsupportforwintersportsandeconomy.WintersportsenthusiastPresidentXiJinpingisinterviewedonRossiyaTVinRussiainFebruary2014.(Photo/Xinhua)InFebruary2014,PresidentXiattendedtheopeningceremonyoftheSochiWinterOlympicsinRussia.Duringthatvisit,hetoldRossiyaTV,aRussiantelevisionchannel,thatheloveswintersports."Ilikewatchingicehockeygames,speedskating,figureskatingandfreestyleskiing.Hockeyismyfavorite,becauseitrequiresbothpersonalskillandteamwork."GrowingupinthenorthernpartofChina,Xidevelopedenthusiasmforskatingatayoungage.DuringhisvisittoBeijing'sWukesongsportscenterinFebruary2017,Xisharedwiththeyoungicehockeyathleteshisexperienceoffirststeppingontotheiceinapairofskates."Backthen,Iwasaprimaryschoolpupil,thesameageasyou,anditwasonthefrozenlakeofShichahaiincentralBeijing.Isimplystartedskating,despitethefactthatmyskatingbootswerethewrongsize."CareandencouragementPresidentXiJinpingmeetsChineseathletesinSochi,Russia,thehostcityofthe22ndWinterOlympicGames,onFeb7,2014.(Photo/Xinhua)DuringavisittotheChinesedelegationtotheSochi2014WinterOlympicGames,Xisaidthatathletes'successwouldnotbemeasuredonlybythenumberofmedalstheywin,butalsobyhowtheydemonstratetheOlympicspiritofconstantlyimprovingthemselvesandsurpassingtheirlimit.PresidentXiJinpingbumpsayounghockeyplayer'sshoulderwithhisown-aspecialgreetinginthegame,onFeb24,2017.(Photo/Xinhua)InFebruary2017,attheendofanicehockeyscrimmagebyagroupofelementaryschoolstudentsfromBeijingattheWukesongsportscenter,Xishookhandswitheachofthemwhilepraisingtheirskills.Xibentoverandbumpedanine-year-oldhockeyplayer'sshoulderwithhisown—aspecialgreetinginthegame."Growalittlebitstronger,youngman,"Xisaidtohimwithasmile."Ihopesomeofyouwillmakeyourwaytothenationalteaminthefuture,"hesaid.PromisekeptPresidentXiJinpingdeliversavideoaddressattheopeningceremonyofthe139thsessionoftheInternationalOlympicCommittee,onFeb3,2022.(Photo/Xinhua)TheprimarygoalofstagingtheWinterOlympicsinChinaisto"engage300millionpeopleinice-snowsports"andpromotetheleapfrogdevelopmentofwintersportsinthecountry,XitoldInternationalOlympicCommitteePresidentThomasBachinSochi,Russia,in2014.ByOctober2021,around346millionpeople—aboutaquarterofthecountry'spopulation—participatedinice-snowsportssinceChina'ssuccessfulbidtohosttheWinterOlympics,accordingtotheNationalBureauofStatistics."Thegoalhasnowbecomeareality,"saidXiwhenhemetwithBachinBeijinginJanuary2022.China'sfulfillmentofitspledgetoengage300millionpeopleinwintersportswaspraisedbyBach,whodescribeditasan"unprecedented,greatachievement,"andsaiditwillbecomeanimportantlegacyofBeijing2022fortheChinesepeopleandfortheOlympicMovement.DiplomaticexchangesFinnishathletespresenttracksuittoPresidentXiJinpingandhiswifePengLiyuaninHelsinki,Finland,onApril5,2017.(Photo/Xinhua)PresidentXiandhisFinnishcounterpartSauliNiinistometskaters'representativesfromthetwocountriesinHelsinki,Finland,onApril5,2017,withbothsidespledgingtoenhancecooperationinwintersports.TheathleteshadjustattendedtheWorldFigureSkatingChampionships2017inHelsinki.XicongratulatedFinlandonhostingasuccessfulsportingeventandcommendedtheathletesfortheiroutstandingperformance.HenotedthatsportsexchangeisanimportantbridgeinpromotingtheChina-Finlandfriendship,sayingthatChinahasalottolearnfromFinlandastheNordiccountryexcelsinwintersports.PresidentXiJinpingandFinnishPresidentSauliNiinisto,attendingtheinaugurationofthe2019China-FinlandYearofWinterSports,aregivenitemswiththeyear'slogobychildrenfromeachcountryattheGreatHallofthePeopleinBeijing,onJan14,2019.(FengYongbin/ChinaDaily)In2019,thetwoleadersattendedthelauncheventofthe2019China-FinlandYearofWinterSports.Thereisgreatpotentialforthetwocountriestoenhancewintersportscooperation,Xisaid,addingthatthewintersportsyearwillinjectnewimpetusforpeople-to-peopleexchangesbetweenthetwocountries.'Goldandsilver'PresidentXiJinpinginspectstheBeijicun,or"NorthPoleVillage",ariversidebordervillage,inMohe,NortheastChina'sHeilongjiangprovince,onSept6,2023.(Photo/Xinhua)Xihaschampionedfullyexploitingthenation'siceandsnowresources,sayingonmultipleoccasionsthat"iceandsnowarealsoasvaluableasgoldandsilver".Xihasmadespecificinstructionsonthedevelopmentofwintertourismduringfact-findingtripstoNortheastChinain2023,highlightingtheimportanceof"enablingthepicturesquelandscapesofthenorthernborderlandsandthewealthoficeandsnowresourcestoprovideaninexhaustiblesourceofincomefortheresidents".DuringtheSpringFestivalholidayfromFeb10to17,2024,Harbin,dubbedChina's"icecity"andthecapitalofNortheastChina'sHeilongjiangprovince,welcomedarecord-highof10.09millionvisitsandgenerated16.42billionyuan(about$2.28billion)oftourismrevenue,ayear-on-yearincreaseof235.4percent,accordingtothecity'stourismdepartment.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.