More than 1,500 athletes from 34 countries and regions have registered to participate in the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, with the number of participating delegations and athletes expected to reach a record high.

As the 100-day countdown to the 9th Asian Winter Games begins on Wednesday, Zhang Haihua, deputy secretary-general of the organizing committee, announced at a news conference on Tuesday that 31% of the events will make their Asian Winter Games debuts in Harbin. Among them, three ski mountaineering events have been confirmed as new additions for the 2026 Winter Olympics, making the Harbin Games an important test for athletes preparing for the Olympics.

This photo taken on Jan. 11, 2024 shows mascots during the unveiling ceremony of the slogan, emblem and mascots for the 9th Asian Winter Games. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

According to the organizers, China, Japan, and South Korea will participate in all events, while Cambodia and Saudi Arabia have registered for the first time.

Alpine skiing is the most popular discipline, featuring participants from 25 countries and regions, including tropical nations such as Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, as well as Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in West Asia. This reflects the rapid development of ice and snow sports in Asia in recent years, especially following the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Zhou Jinqiang, vice president of the organizing committee and vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, stated that China will send more than 170 athletes to compete in all 64 events, striving for both athletic achievements and sportsmanship.

Organizers also revealed the layout of venues, with five for ice sports in Harbin and eight for snow sports in Yabuli. A total of 14 test events are scheduled from September to January next year.

Han Shengjian, vice president of the organizing committee, said that all competition venues are now ready, with the organizing committee coordinating the needs of the games and post-game utilization.

All 13 competition venues utilize energy-saving and environmentally friendly materials and low-carbon technologies, relying on existing facilities for maintenance and renovation without large-scale demolition and construction.

During the Games, a series of activities will be held in the Athletes' Village and the Ice and Snow World, including Heilongjiang's intangible cultural heritage experiences, ice acrobatics performances, and an opera art parade.

Wang Hesheng, vice president and secretary-general of the organizing committee, said that more than 100 ice and snow activities will be held, including the 2024-2025 Ice and Snow Season, the 41st Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, and the Winter Triathlon World Cup. 

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