The press conference for the 2023-2024 Harbin Ice and Snow Season was held on the 28th of this month. Wang Hongxin, Director of the Harbin Cultural Broadcasting and Tourism Bureau; Dong Xingwang, Deputy Director of the Harbin Municipal Sports Bureau; Liu Xiangying, Deputy Director of the Harbin Municipal Enterprise and Investment Service Bureau; Qin Xiaoyan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of the Harbin Modern Cultural Tourism Investment Group; and Li Chunwei, Deputy Director of the Harbin Yabuli Management Committee, attended the press conference and addressed inquiries from the press.
An Engagement with Ice and Snow: Over a Hundred Dazzling Events Across Seven Major Segments
This year's Harbin Ice and Snow Season will be organized into four thematic sections: "Rendezvous in the Ice City," "Joyful Songs of Ice and Snow," "Dragon Year Family Reunion," and "Spring Snow Brings Spring Radiance." It will feature seven major series of activities, including ice and snow festivals, ice and snow culture, ice and snow arts, ice and snow sports, ice and snow economic and trade, ice and snow fashion and creativity, and mass ice and snow events. With the launch of over a hundred ice and snow events, the city is committed to establishing itself as an internationally renowned premier destination for ice and snow tourism under the banner of "Capital of Ice and Snow Culture · Host of the Dual Asian Winter Games."
Ice sculpture exhibits (images for reference)
Wang Hongxin, Director of the Harbin Cultural Broadcasting and Tourism Bureau, introduced seven major segments:
The segment of ice and snow festival events: Events of this kind like the 4th Harbin Ice Harvest Festival, the Opening Ceremony of the 40th Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, the 2024 Network China Festival Series, the 2024 China Ice and Snow Tourism Development Forum, the One-Year Countdown Anniversary Celebration for the Opening of the 9th Asian Winter Games, the Yabuli Ski Festival will be launched.
The segment of ice and snow cultural events: Events like the First Collaborative New Year Song Festival Uniting the Capital Cities of Northeast China's Three Provinces and the Launch Ceremony for the "Hundred Cities, Hundred Events" Mass Song Festival Series, the 3rd Heilongjiang Ice and Snow Intangible Cultural Heritage Festival and the Exhibition of Harbin Original Intangible Cultural Heritage Works Themed Ice and Snow will be organized.
The segment of ice and snow arts events: Events of this kind like the 35th China·Harbin International Competition of Ice Sculptures, the 26th International Competition of Snow Sculptures, the 6th International Competition of Ice Sculptures for College Students, the 16th International Competition of Snow Sculptures for College Students, and the Harbin International Competition of Ice Sculptures for Youth will be held.
The segment of ice and snow sports events: Events of this kind like the Cross-Country Skiing Marathon, the Winter Ironman Triathlon, the Asia Speed Skating Marathon, the First Harbin SCO Snow Bike Cycling Race, and the First SCO National Cup Snow Football Match will be held.
The segment of ice and snow economic and trade events: Events like the Annual Meeting for the Yabuli China Entrepreneurs Forum, the Heilongjiang International Cultural Industry Expo, the Domestic and Foreign Business Associations to Enter Harbin, and the Hong Kong Enterprises to Visit Harbin. Additionally, several nationally significant events will be featured during the Ice and Snow Season.
The segment of ice and snow fashion and creativity events: Events like the Harbin Ice and Snow International Fashion Week, the 40th Public Ice and Snow Collective Wedding, the Creative Short Video Competition, and the Exhibition of Cultural and Creative Products in Ice and Snow Scenic Areas.
The segment of mass ice and snow events: Events of this kind like a Million Youth Stepping on Ice and Snow, the 4th Mass Ice Disc Challenge, the 6th Harbin Songhua River Ice and Snow Carnival, the Ice and Snow Themed Photography Contest, the winter swimming performances, the New Year's Eve fireworks show, and the "Truant Penguin" new district parade.
Volga Manor (images provided by the scenic area)
In this year's Harbin Ice and Snow Season, a deliberate effort is underway to strategically harness the combined potential of " Ice-Snow+" and "+ Ice -Snow." The objective is to position the development of the ice and snow economy as a central driver of growth, consolidating and elevating Harbin's leadership status among national ice and snow tourism cities. This multifaceted initiative focuses on four key aspects: notably capitalizing on the pivotal opportunity presented by hosting the 9th Harbin Asian Winter Games in 2025 to showcase Harbin's distinctive beauty of ice, snow, culture, and sports. The aim is to facilitate the holistic development of the ice and snow economy, create unique flagship products, refine ice and snow routes, and curate branded festive events. Simultaneously, invitations will be extended to representatives from foreign cities and business associations to partake in the opening ceremony of the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, and a series of cultural exchange activities will unfold, with an aim to comprehensively spotlight the outbound influence of Harbin as the "Capital of Ice and Snow Culture," strengthen and elevate Harbin's status and function as a key cooperation hub with Russia, and steadily amplify Harbin's international reputation. Beyond traditional ice and snow festivals and professional international competitions, this season will seamlessly integrate promotional activities for the 9th Harbin Asian Winter Games in 2025. The objective is to infuse the essence of the Asian Winter Games into ice and snow activities, fostering a profound integration across various domains like ice and snow culture, ice and snow arts, ice and snow sports, as well as ice and snow economic and trade. A specialized segment is created exclusively for mass ice and snow events, with a focus on designing and organizing various ice and snow competitions to cultivate citizens' interest in winter sports and solidify the grassroots foundation for ice and snow sculpting skills, ensuring that the Ice and Snow Season and the Ice and Snow Festival become a genuine festival and feast for the people.
Ice and Snow as Catalysts: A Series of High-Profile Events for the Asian Winter Games Unveiling
During the Harbin Ice and Snow Season, Dong Xingwang, Deputy Director of the Harbin Municipal Sports Bureau, provided insights into the preparations for international premium brand ice and snow sports events. Steering towards constructing the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization Ice and Snow Sports Demonstration Zone, Harbin, with a focus on hosting elite sports competitions, aims to engage the entire city to fully showcase the contemporary charm of being the "City of Olympic Champions" and the "Dual Asian Winter Games City." The season will feature a diverse array of 14 sports events, such as the 2023 National Men's Ice Hockey Championship, the 2023-2024 Chinese Women's Professional Ice Hockey League, the 4th Harbin Fenlan Snow Dynamic Cross-Country Skiing Marathon in 2023, the 2024 Harbin Winter Triathlon World Cup, the China-Harbin Asia Speed Skating Marathon, the First Harbin SCO Snow Bike Cycling Race, the First SCO National Cup Snow Football Match, the First SCO Ice Hockey Competition, the First SCO Figure Skating Competition, the 9th Harbin Asian Winter Games Ice Hockey Test Event in 2025, as well as the Harbin Mass Fun Skiing Competition, the Ice Fun Sports Events, the Mass Speed Skating Competition, and the Mass Cross-Country Skiing Competition.
Ice hockey match scene
The event not only offers a plethora of activities but also emphasizes quality. The 2024 Harbin Winter Triathlon World Cup, the highest level of its kind globally, is set to establish its initial Asian presence in Harbin. Scheduled to take place from January 7th to 8th, 2024, on the Sun Island, the main venue will be set at the Snow Expo’s main square. The course will seamlessly connect the snow sculpture cluster and the scenic areas of Sun Island, creating a picturesque landscape where the competition itself becomes a scenic masterpiece, and the surrounding landscape is infused with the fervor of passion. Athletes from over 20 countries are expected to participate, and the registration portal is already open.
The First Shanghai Cooperation Organization Snow Cycling Bike Race, as an initial international competition supporting the core area construction of the SCO Ice and Snow Sports Demonstration Zone, will commence on December 24th at the Harbin Grand Theatre. The track will weave through iconic locations such as the Grand Theatre, the Harbin Ice and Snow World, the Songhua River, the Sun Island, and the Snow Expo. Since the commencement of online and offline registrations on November 18th, over 1400 participants have signed up. The organizing committee of the event, through the GNFCC, have extended invitations to embassies of SCO member countries in China for their participation in the awards ceremony. Additionally, invitations have been sent to cycling federations of member countries. A strategic partnership agreement with ICARUS Sports from Greece has been reached, ensuring global publicity across major regions, sports broadcasters, and digital media platforms.
Ice and Snow as the Stage: Joint Efforts Unleashed to Seize Investment Opportunities
During the press conference, Liu Xiangying, Deputy Director of the Harbin Enterprise and Investment Service Bureau, addressed journalists' queries on "how to seize opportunities to create platforms for investment promotion activities." The investment promotion initiative in this Ice and Snow Season is anchored in the strategy of developing the "Seven Metropolitan Areas," aiming to seize opportunities, seek collaboration, and foster new growth poles for economic development. The focus is on five key areas: For science and technology, a list of 100 projects for the transformation of technological achievements, focusing on the design and R&D industrialization of secure computing chips, has been prepared; For the industrial sector, reports on the investment potential in digital economy, bio-economy, food industry, and equipment manufacturing have been introduced. To propel outstanding enterprises in Harbin to integrate into the national and global industrial and supply chains, and detail a list of specialized, proficient, distinctive, and new enterprises and products, a list of 108 investment projects, 64 standard factories eligible for investment with a floor area exceeding 10,000m2, and facilities with a minimum floor area of 10,000m2 has been prepared. For agriculture, a list of renowned, high-quality and distinctive products, as well as 21 investment projects in the food industry, has been prepared. For winter tourism, a report on the investment potential in the ice and snow economy has been introduced, covering 19 projects with an investment exceeding one hundred million yuan. For urban renewal, a list of exploitable land resources has been prepared, featuring 37 industrial land parcels, along with the organization and planning of 24 urban renewal projects.
The investment promotion initiative in this Ice and Snow Season will focus on key industries, regions, and enterprises, planning to host a series of 45 investment events. Among them, four heavyweight platform events are scheduled, namely “Key Entrepreneurs from Shenzhen and Shanghai, along with Entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and Macau to grace Harbin with their presence,” the China Electronic Commerce Association's business meeting for small household appliance enterprises with Russian buyers and business associations, and the Harbin Summit on the Yabuli Entrepreneur Forum. Additionally, there will be 11 thematic investment events, including visits from entrepreneurs in Guangdong, Nanchang, Beijing, Shanghai; foreign investment matchmaking with companies from countries like Denmark, Singapore, Malaysia ,Thailand and 30 regional investment events across nine districts and counties (cities).
Through a grand ice and snow banquet, Harbin is extending a global invitation!
