Harbin, the capital city of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, will host its second Asian Winter Games in 2025. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) voted to accept the unopposed bid Saturday during its 42nd General Assembly held in Bangkok, Thailand.
It will be the third time the large regional winter sports event is hosted in China after Harbin held the Games in 1996 and Changchun, capital city of Jilin province, staged the event in 2007.
No other cities were in the running for the 2025 edition.
“The hosting of the 9th Asian Winter Game is consistent with Harbin’s urban development plan and sustainable development goals,” Harbin Mayor Zhang Qixiang told the OCA assembly.
“We will fully cooperate with the Olympic Council of Asia, the Chinese Olympic Committee and sports organizations in the world and Asia and provide perfect urban facilities and sports venues to hold a dynamic, open, frugal and civilized Asian Winter Games.”
Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Yu Zaiqing told delegates “we are fully convinced that Harbin is capable of delivering an outstanding and successful edition of the Asian Winter Games, so as to contribute to the development of winter sport and the Olympic movement in China and the whole Asia, and to promote solidarity, friendship, and peace.”
Breaking news! 🚨
Harbin, the capital city of China's Heilongjiang province, is set to host the 9th Asian Winter Games in 2025.
Notably, the previous edition of the Asian Winter Games took place in Sapporo, Japan in 2017.#AsianWinterGames #Harbin #China #42ndGeneralAssembly pic.twitter.com/lJ6kKVvOWz
— Olympic Council of Asia (@AsianGamesOCA) July 8, 2023
Harbin, a city of over 10 million people, failed to win China’s first Olympic Winter Games when it bid to host in 2010 and was excluded from the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) shortlist. Capital Beijing instead hosted the 2022 edition in an “Olympic Bubble” created to safely stage events during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IOC is currently looking for climate-capable regions to host the 2030 and 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and is studying the possibility of electing a permanent pool of suitable hosts to stage the event on a rotating basis. Last month IOC Executives said there are six interested regions involved in discussions including Sweden, Switzerland, Sapporo, Vancouver and Salt Lake City and one that remains unnamed to protect confidentiality.
Some insiders have speculated that snowy and wintery Harbin might be that sixth region – climate capable with sufficient infrastructure to stage the event under the IOC’s new sustainable no-build mandate. Preparations for the Asian Games would be the perfect showcase to win the IOC’s approval that was lacking 20 years ago.
Sapporo in Japan last hosted the last Asian Winter Games in 2017 and the yet-to-be-built Saudi Arabian resort of Trojena is set to stage in 2029.
