Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on Friday hosted a welcome banquet in northeast China's Harbin for dignitaries who are in the city to attend the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games.
Attending the banquet were Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and his wife Aigul Japarova, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and his wife Shin Kyung-hye, President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, and Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia Timothy Fok Tsun-ting.
At the banquet, Xi and Peng exchanged Spring Festival greetings with the dignitaries and posed for a group photo with them.
Forty children dressed in Chinese and foreign costumes sang a beautiful local ballad to welcome the guests.
Addressing the banquet, Xi extended a warm welcome to the dignitaries on behalf of the Chinese government and people.
"As the Chinese people are celebrating the Spring Festival, I would like to extend, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, and also in the name of my wife and myself, a warm welcome and festive greetings to all the distinguished guests!" Xi said.
Noting that the cauldron of the 9th Asian Winter Games will be lit on Friday evening, Xi said China's ice-and-snow fervor ignited by major sports events has injected fresh vitality into global winter sports.
The upcoming event is bringing together participants from a record number of countries and regions, as well as registered athletes, Xi said, expressing his belief that Harbin will present to the world a great sports event that is distinctly Chinese, uniquely Asian and spectacular, and write a new, magnificent chapter of ice and snow sports.
The theme of this year's Asian Winter Games -- "Dream of Winter, Love among Asia" -- embodies the shared aspiration and desire of the Asian people for peace, development and friendship, Xi said.
He said Asia needs to hold fast to the common dream of peace and amity, and contribute to building an equal and orderly multipolar world.
Xi stressed the shared pursuit of prosperity and development, urging efforts to inject impetus into a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
The Chinese president also called for efforts to realize the common wish of integration and affinity, and contribute more to the development and progress of human civilization.
Pointing out that Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, the renowned "Ice City" of China, is the birthplace of China's modern winter sports, Xi said that ice and snow are as valuable as gold and silver, as ice and snow culture and economy are becoming a new driving force for high-quality development of Harbin and a new bond linking the city and the rest of the world.
The Chinese president said he welcomes the guests to explore the hospitable, open and inclusive city, and to trace the path of Chinese modernization.
As China has just entered a Year of the Snake, Xi wished all athletes excellent performance with the agility of the Snake.
"China has just entered a Year of the Snake. Among the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, the Snake represents wisdom and agility. The Year of the Snake will surely brim with vigor and vitality. I wish all athletes excellent performance with the agility of the Snake. May you all have beautiful and unforgettable memories of ice and snow in Harbin," Xi said.
The 2025 Chinese Spring Festival, which fell on January 29, ushered in a Year of the Snake. The zodiac snake ranks the 6th in the cycle of 12 zodiac animals on the Chinese lunar calendar.
The dignitaries also enjoyed an exhibition of Heilongjiang's intangible cultural heritages before the banquet.
Xi hosts welcome banquet for VIPs attending opening ceremony of Asian Winter Games
