President of the International Skating Union (ISU) Kim Jae-youl visited the studio of China Global Television Network (CGTN) in the Harbin Ice and Snow World and joined a live broadcast on Sunday to share his views on skating sports, the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games, and the cooperation between the ISU and China.
Running from Feb 7 to 14 in Harbin, capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the Games marks China's first major international ice and snow event since the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and the third time for China to host the Asian Winter Games, and the second time for Harbin.
"China has been utilizing the legacy of Beijing 2022 in terms of hosting events and also helping skaters from different countries coming to train in China," Kim said.
Kim wrote a heartfelt message to CGTN on visitors' book, expressing his appreciation for the partnership between CGTN and the ISU in advancing the development of skating sports.
Director General Colin Smith, another key figure from the ISU, also shared his impressions of both the Harbin Asian Winter Games and the city itself.
"It's been amazing. It's my first time to Harbin. I've been to China quite a few times, but never to Harbin. Since joining skating just over a year ago, I've heard about this location which has produced so many champions. So it's great to actually come here and see it in person. So far, I'm very impressed with the Asian Winter Games and with Harbin. I've looked at the ice structures today and it's phenomenal what's going on here in Harbin, in general, and also for the Asian Winter Games," Smith said.
From March 14 to 16, Beijing will host the 2024-2025 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships. Kim expressed confidence that Beijing will once again deliver a spectacular top-level short track speed skating event.
ISU president visits CGTN studio covering Asian Winter Games in Harbin
U.S. stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, staging a late-session recovery as investors navigated a volatile landscape marked by a criminal probe into the Federal Reserve leadership.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 86.13 points, or 0.17 percent, to 49,590.2. The S&P 500 added 10.99 points, or 0.16 percent, to 6,977.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 62.56 points, or 0.26 percent, to 23,733.9. Despite the positive close, the market experienced significant intraday turbulence, with the Dow dropping nearly 500 points at its session lows.
Nine of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in positive territory. Consumer staples and industrials led the gainers, rising 1.42 percent and 0.75 percent, respectively. Financials and energy were the primary laggards, declining 0.8 percent and 0.66 percent.
Market sentiment was initially shaken by an announcement on Sunday from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who confirmed that federal prosecutors are investigating him over the Fed's multi-billion-dollar project to renovate its headquarters. Powell characterized the probe as an attempt by the Trump administration to compromise the Fed's independence.
Further weighing on the financial sector was a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent for one year, which triggered a sell-off in banking stocks amid concerns over restricted lending and reduced profitability. Capital One shares plummeted 6.42 percent, while Citigroup, JPMorgan and Bank of America also recorded losses.
In contrast, retail giant Walmart led the Dow's advance, climbing 3 percent following news of its upcoming inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Google's Gemini AI to enhance the digital shopping experience.
Investors are awaiting Tuesday's release of the U.S. consumer price index for December 2025. Following last week's cooling labor market data, market participants increasingly expect the Fed to maintain interest rates at their current levels during the upcoming January meeting.
U.S. stocks close higher amid criminal probe into Fed chair Powell
