SHI YU/CHINA DAILY
The 9th Asian Winter Games, which opened in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on Friday, is likely to see China's outstanding performance in the events because the country ranked third in the medal tally in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
China has come a long way in becoming a force in winter sports. China's northern regions provide an ideal setting for winter sports because of the massive snow cover during winter.
The temperate climate in southern China may have made people believe that winter sports are suitable only for the north. This was true when China decided to make a breakthrough in winter sports four decades ago, because it started with skating and, not surprisingly, 90 percent of the national team members were from the north, especially from Northeast China.
For decades, Chinese athletes have been winning medals in Asian and international winter games in speed skating and figure skating. But they soon found they could not increase their medal tally because they were too weak in skiing, and very few people were taking part in winter sports.
That reality largely prompted China to apply to host the Winter Olympic Games in 2022 to not only try and win more medals as the host country but also encourage more people to take part in ice and snow sports. When applying to host the Winter Olympics, China worked out an ambitious plan to increase the number of people taking part in winter sports from a few million to 300 million within a few years.
Recent data show that, boosted by China's successful hosting of the Winter Olympics, a winter sports fever is spreading across China, including South China, and more than 313 million people are taking part in ice skating, skiing or have become avid winter sports fans. China today has more than 3,300 winter sports venues with over 30 percent of them being skiing facilities. The number is increasing by double digits every year.
The popularity of winter sports has given birth to a new industry. The cold northern regions such as Beijing, Hebei, Jilin, Heilongjiang and Xinjiang are likely to collect millions even billions of yuan as entrance and service fees this season. More factories have been set up to produce winter sports gear and equipment. A State Council document published recently says that the winter sports industry is likely to be worth 1.2 trillion yuan before 2027.
But to make winter sports development sustainable, a lot more needs to be done.
The skiing venues are usually deep in the mountains, far from city centers. It can be dangerous and time-consuming to drive to such venues in poor weather conditions. As such, special trains should be designated to and from such venues, and highways leading to them should be well maintained to ensure skiers and speed skaters reach there safely.
The entrance fees to the skiing venues range from 200 yuan to 800 yuan. Add to that the cost of transportation, accommodation, equipment renting and coaching and the cost could reach a couple of thousand yuan for just one visit. Hence, measures should be taken to reduce the cost of skiing and ice skating. This can be done by building more venues, leading to competitions among the operators. Government watchdogs, on their part, should check the entry and other prices carefully to prevent operators from making excessive profits in the name of developing winter sports.
Besides, the number of entries to the venues should be controlled at "hot" skating and skiing venues, in order to ensure consumers have better training experience and can avoid potential dangers and injuries. The venues should also have good medical equipment and qualified doctors to treat injured athletes and amateur learners.
Only when the above problems are addressed can we turn millions of potential winter sports fans into trained athletes and build a strong talent pool that will help China excel in regional and international winter games.
中新经纬1月11日电 据微信号“中国铁路”11日消息，自1月11日零时起，铁路12306网站(含手机客户端，下同)优化升级候补购票功能，增加候补订单和备选方案数量，扩大候补订单兑现时间选择范围，临时新增旅客列车席位优先配售给 中新经纬1月11日电 农业农村部种植业管理司消息，2023年12月中旬以来冷空气活动频繁，中东部大部地区气温低于常年同期，蔬菜生长受阻，生产管理成本增加，蔬菜地头价环比上涨较多，但随着寒潮天气过程结束，近期蔬菜价格趋于平 预约“手慢无”！各地春节文旅成绩单亮眼 中新网北京2月19日电(张钰惠)18日，文旅部发布数据显示，春节假期8天全国国内旅游出游4.74亿人次，同比增长34.3%，按可比口径较2019年同期增长19.0%；国内游客出游总花费6326.87 新华社记者熊轩昂春风送暖，阳光和煦。2月21日上午，昆明市2024年“春风行动”暨“春暖农民工”服务行动专场招聘会在南坝人力资源市场举行。记者在现场走访观察到：参加招聘会的企业涉及领域广，涵盖智能制 拼版照片：上图为20世纪80年代的厦门筼筜湖（资料照片）；下图为2024年1月24日拍摄的厦门筼筜湖及周边城市景观（新华社记者姜克红摄，无人机照片）。新华社记者付敏城在海上，海在城中。筼筜湖，犹如镶嵌在厦门岛中央 江苏省农垦集团有限公司原党委书记、董事长李春江接受纪律审查和监察调查 中新网2月23日电 据中央纪委国家监委网站，据江苏省纪委监委消息：江苏省农垦集团有限公司原党委书记、董事长李春江涉嫌严重违纪违法，目前 。本文链接：Winter sports can heat up further in Chinahttp://www.sushuapos.com/show-5-45704-0.html
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