Harbin of China selected to host 2025 Asian Winter Games

Actors celebrate during a celebration event for Harbin's successful bid in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on July 8, 2023. Harbin was chosen by the OCA to host the 2025 Asian Winter Games on Saturday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, was chosen by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to host the 2025 Asian Winter Games on Saturday.

The OCA made the decision at its 42nd Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Harbin was the only candidate city for the 2025 Asian Winter Games, and its bid was approved by the OCA with a round of applause from the assembly.

During the presentation by the Harbin Bid Committee to the OCA, Yu Zaiqing, vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, said Harbin boasts stable economic growth, solid winter sports tradition and excellent winter sports facilities.

"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," said Yu.

It will be the second time Harbin hosts the Asian Winter Games - the first was in 1996 - and the third time the regional games are held in a Chinese city, the other being in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, in 2007.

Harbin's successful bid also came after Beijing successfully hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 2022.