With the 9th Asian Winter Games in full swing in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, an assortment of official merchandise, ranging from pins and fridge magnets to the adorable Siberian tiger mascot figurines and plush toys, are selling like hotcakes.

With tourists flocking to Harbin in China’s Northeast to attend the Asian Winter Games, local taxi driver Xu Feng wanted to find an original way to celebrate.

The influence of the Asian Winter Games has extended far beyond Harbin, fueling a nationwide winter tourism boom. Since December 2024, winter sports enthusiasm has surged across the country, with a notable trend of "northern snow heading south" as regions in southern China expand their ice and snow offerings.

North Korea's state media reported Monday that the Asian Winter Games have opened in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, where three North Korean athletes are participating.

On February 7, the 9th Asian Winter Games opened in Harbin, dubbed China's “Ice City”. To ensure the success of this largest winter sports event in As