Prime Minister of Cook Islands appreciates closing ceremony of 9th Asian Winter Games

Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown expressed his appreciation for the closing ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games which just concluded on Friday in the renowned "ice city" of Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

In an interview with the China Central Television (CCTV) on Saturday in Harbin, Brown said the closing ceremony provided a visual feast to the audience by blending advanced technologies with lively theatrical performances.

"This is the first time I've been to a Winter Games of any type. And I thought the closing ceremony was a beautiful production that combined technology with the theatrical performances of each of the groups that were part of the closing ceremony. So it was great to see and I really enjoyed the whole environment, the atmosphere of the closing ceremony," said Brown.

Brown was impressed by the message conveyed through the performance at the closing ceremony, which brought a sense of hope and optimism to mark the conclusion of the grand sporting event, as winter ends and spring begins.

"I think it was the use of the technology in an enclosed stadium where we were the closing of the games coincided with the end of winter and then the coming of spring to give a bit of a hope and a bit of color and a bit of positivity towards the what was a could have been for some a sad occasion at the closing of the games. But to look forward to the next ones that will be held signified by the spring. So that whole production, I thought, was really beautifully done," he said.

Running from Feb 7 to 14, the 9th Asian Winter 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.

Featuring a total of 64 events across 11 winter sports disciplines, including biathlon, curling, ice hockey, figure skating, short track speed skating, skiing, and ski mountaineering, the Games gathered 1,275 competitors from 34 countries and regions, making it the largest ever edition of the Games in terms of overall participation.

Saudi Arabia will host the 10th Asian Winter Games for the first time in 2029.

Prime Minister of Cook Islands appreciates closing ceremony of 9th Asian Winter Games

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing said Tuesday that China is willing to collaborate with all parties to ensure nuclear energy better supports the development and prosperity of all nations.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during the second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris which he attended as Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative.

Zhang said China has always adhered to a sensible, coordinated, and balanced nuclear security strategy proposed by President Xi and has made concrete contributions to promoting the global development of nuclear energy.

China is willing to work with all parties to jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, and promote nuclear energy innovation-driven development, safety foundation building, industrial collaboration and win-win cooperation, so that nuclear energy can better benefit the development and prosperity of all countries, he said.

Zhang noted that China stands ready to join hands with all parties to make new contributions in building a clean, beautiful and sustainable world and a community with a shared future for humanity.

Heads of state, government leaders and senior representatives from over 30 countries, as well as heads of relevant international organizations, attended the summit and issued a joint statement titled "Safe and affordable nuclear energy for all."

Chinese vice premier calls for global nuclear cooperation