Taking thrills and chills to a new level
Harbin 2025 to go down in history as a winter sports game-changer, Sun Xioachen reports.


Preparing for the Games on a tighter-than-normal schedule, Harbin — which was only confirmed as host of the 2025 edition 18 months prior to the Games'spectacular opening last week — has pulled off almost a mission impossible to prepare five downtown competition venues for ice sports, and eight courses at the Yabuli Ski Resort for the snow events, to the highest international standards.
The venues are all existing facilities, with some rinks and slopes having staged events at the 1996 edition, which was also hosted in Harbin.
Meanwhile, China's proven professionalism and know-how in organizing massive international multisports events, such as Beijing 2022 and the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games, have guaranteed the smooth operation of the Harbin Asiad.
Harbin won the bid for the 9th Asian Winter Games in July 2023,and Sultan Al Busaidi, chair of the OCA's medical committee, spoke highly of the event's organization.
"Harbin took over in a very short time, and the organizers have done extensive work," he said.
"We are impressed by the healthcare system, with its advanced equipment, skilled personnel and professional training."