The 2025 Asian Winter Games, scheduled for February 7–14, 2025 in Northeast China's Harbin City, approaches its 100-day countdown this Wednesday.
The State Council Information Office held a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday to announce the latest updates on preparations.
The Games will feature six sports, 11 disciplines and 64 events, with over 1,500 athletes from 34 countries and regions registered, setting the stage for a record-breaking event.
In addition, the Chinese sports delegation will field more than 170 athletes across all 64 events.
Five indoor venues in Harbin, capital city of Heilongjiang Province, will host ice sports, while Yabuli Town's eight outdoor venues will stage snow competitions.
Known as the "Ice City", Harbin successfully won the bid to host the 9th Asian Winter Games on July 8, 2023, marking the third time that the regional games will take place in China.
Harbin Asian Winter Games nears 100-day countdown
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday called for a comprehensive push in the technological innovation, industrial growth and application of artificial intelligence (AI) to foster new quality productive forces and promote high-quality development.
Li made the remarks while presiding over a State Council group study session focused on AI development.
China must understand AI development trends accurately, Li said, encouraging breakthroughs across the entire chain, and for broad implementation in diverse scenarios to unlock the potential of the technology in an improved manner.
Li urged efforts to map out forward-looking strategies for new technologies and pathways, push for large-scale and commercial applications, better coordinate key resources ranging from data to computing power and electricity supply, expand international technology exchange, and strengthen AI governance with improvements to laws, policy frameworks, application standards and ethical guidelines.
Additionally, China should build an open and inclusive environment, and cultivate a larger multi-skilled talent pool, Li said.
Zhou Bowen, head of the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, delivered a briefing at the session. Vice premiers Ding Xuexiang and Zhang Guoqing, along with State Councilor Wu Zhenglong, also participated in the discussions.
Chinese premier calls for comprehensive push in AI innovation, application
