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Here's the news. More than 1 ,500 athletes from 34 countries and regions have registered to participate in the 9th Asian Winter Games, which will take place from February 7th through the 14th in Harbin, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province with the number of participating delegations and athletes expected to reach a record high.
Zhang Haihua, deputy secretary -general of the organizing Committee announced that 31 percent of the events will make their Asian Winter Games debuts in Harbin.
Among them, three ski mountaineering events have been confirmed as new additions for the 2026 Winter Olympics, making the Harbin games an important test for athletes preparing for the Olympics.
According to the organizers, China, Japan, and South Korea will participate in all events, while Cambodia and Saudi Arabia have registered for the first time.
Alpine skiing is the most popular discipline, featuring participants from 25 countries and regions, Asia, as well as Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in West Asia.
This reflects the rapid development of ice and snow sports in Asia in recent years, especially officially following the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Zhou Jingqiang, Vice President of the Organizing Committee and Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, stated that China will send more than and 170 athletes to compete in all 64 events, striving for both athletic achievements and sportsmanship.
Organizers also revealed the layout of venues, with five for ice sports in Harbin and eight for snow sports in Yabuli.
all 13 competition venues utilize energy saving and environmentally friendly materials and low -carbon technologies, relying on existing facilities for maintenance and renovation without large -scale demolition and construction.
During the games, a series of activities will be held in the athletes' village and the ice and snow world, including Heilong Jiang's intangible cultural heritage experiences, ice acrobatics performances, and an opera -art parade.
Wang He Sheng, Vice President and Secretary General of the Organizing Committee, said that more than 100 ice and snow activities will be held, including the 2024 through 2025 ice and snow season, the 41st Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, and the Winter Triathlon World Cup.
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China has launched a month -long campaign to promote consumption as part of its efforts to bolster consumer spending.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, the consumption promotion month runs in five cities.
Namely Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, as well as Tianjin and Chongqing.
It features a series of activities promoting consumption in shopping, catering, tourism, exhibitions, and performances, among others.
Relevant departments and localities have been asked to refine their plans to implement the Promotion Month and introduce practical measures to foster the continuous recovery of the country's consumer market.
China introduced a large -scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade -in program in March to expand domestic demand and shore up the economy.
Official data showed that in the first three -quarters of this year, China's retail sales of consumer goods went up 3 .3 % year -on -year.
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Shenzhen, a tech hub located in South China's Guangdong Province, has opened three dedicated offices to prioritize the development of emerging industries, namely artificial intelligence, new energy vehicle and medicine and medical apparatus industries.
According to the municipal government, the three offices will run in relative independence of the existing government structure home to a constellation of tech firms like Huawei and DJI Shenzhen has prioritized the development of new industries with the AI new energy vehicle and biomedicine sectors emerging as some of the most promising economic engines.
Tang Shanshing, Deputy Head of the office dedicated for the new energy vehicle industry said that they will work to promote intelligent driving and facilitate automobile exports from the city including the promotion of driving permissions for vehicles with an autonomy level of L3 or higher.
Shenzhen is home to prominent new energy vehicle producers, such as BYD.
The city produced more than 1 .7 million vehicles last year, marking a surge of 104 percent year -on -year.
To support its biomedical sector, the city has established five industrial funds, totaling 16 billion yuan, about 2 .3 billion U .S.
dollars. The The added value of Shenzhen's bio -medicine industry was 13 billion yuan in the first half of this year, a yearly increase of 10 .6%.
The city has also earmarked the AI sector for fast -tracked development with the newly established AI industry office promising to create more scenarios for AI application.
Last year, the output value of Shenzhen's AI industry exceeded 300 billion yuan, up 21 percent year on year.
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Hong Kong has discovered dinosaur fossils for the first time.
According to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the dinosaur fossils were discovered on Port Island within the Hong Kong Unesco Global Geopark in the northeastern waters of Hong Kong.
In March the Antiquities and Monuments This office of the Hong Kong SAR government was informed that the sedimentary rock on Port Island might contain suspected vertebrate fossils.
The Development Bureau then commissioned experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences to conduct field investigation, study fossil specimens, recommend management plans, and discuss follow -up actions.
After taking a preliminary analysis of specimens, experts with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology identified the specimens as large -aged dinosaur bone on fossils.
It was initially confirmed that the fossils dated to the Cretaceous period about 145 million to 66 million years ago.
Bernadette Lin, Secretary for Development government of the Hong Kong SAR government said that the discovery provides new evidence for research on paleoecology in the region.
The follow -up research on the dinosaur fossils is the first cooperation project under a new agreement between Hong Kong and the mainland in the fields of paleontology, paleoanthropology, and paleolithic sites.
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In the northern hemisphere, the once lively beaches have transformed into serene masterpieces of natural scenery.
Animals are getting ready for their restful hibernation, when seeking solace in the newly arrived stillness.
Most flowers have withered, tree leaves are turning yellow, orange and red, falling to the ground when brushed by the chilly wind.
As time of sunset arrives earlier and earlier, it marks the arrival of the 19th of the 24 solar terms on the traditional Chinese calendar, known as start of winter.
Start of winter, or Li -dong, in Chinese, marks the first solar term of winter and it falls on November 7th, this year.
In Chinese, Li means start or begin while the character Dong means winter.
During this solar term, a thin layer of ice often forms on water surfaces and the earth hardens gradually with winter freeze.
As the chilly weather rolls in, keeping warm becomes a top priority for people.
For Chinese ancestors, the battle against the cold was more than just a matter of comfort, it was a way of life.
Starting from Li Dong, They would hold a fun and delicious event called nuan lu hui.
Nuan means warm. Lu means stove, and hui means gathering.
Imagine that snowflakes drift gently down from above, outside the window, amid the cold, But inside, a warm and cozy stove casts a comforting glow.
A group of friends or families sit in a circle around the stove, savoring delicious dishes prepared right on top of the stove, all the while being engaged in joyful conversation.
such gatherings not only help people stay warm in the winter, but also provide them with great opportunities for genuine communication.
Additionally, back in time, scholars and literati had a particular fondness for luan luhui which offered them a platform for enjoying poetry and song recitals, engaging in drumming, partaking in games, and watching theatrical performances and dances.
To this day, despite having access to fancy technology to keep people warm during winter, Nuan Luhui has been preserved.
It has even become a trendy event, particularly among younger generations.
In addition to cooked food, people would set a teapot and an array of fruit and snacks like oranges, peanuts and persimmons on the stove to roast.
Huddled around the stove, they enjoy the winter scenery in peace, extending a tender and warm welcome to the solar term of Li Dong.
This modern celebration seamlessly blends together relaxation, social interaction, and cultural connection making it a beloved tradition.
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committee, announced that 31 % of the events will make their Asian Winter Games debuts in Harbin.
Among them, three ski mountaineering events have been confirmed as new additions for the 2026 Winter Olympics, making the Harbin Games an important test for athletes preparing for the Olympics.
According to the organizers, China, Japan and South Korea will participate in all events, while Cambodia and Saudi Arabia have registered for the first time.
Alpine skiing is the most popular discipline, featuring participants from 25 countries and regions, including tropical nations such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, as well as Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in West Asia.
This reflects the rapid development of ice and snow sports in Asia in recent years, especially following the Beijing Winter Olympics.
Zhou Jin -Chiang, vice president of the Organizing Committee and the vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, stated that China will send more than 170 athletes to compete in all 64 events, striving for both athletic achievements and sportsmanship.
Organizers also revealed the layout of venues, with five for ice sports in Harbin and eight for snow sports in Yaubu li.
All 13 competition venues utilize energy -saving and environmentally -friendly materials and low -carbon technologies, relying on existing facilities for maintenance and renovation without large -scale demolition and construction.
During the Games, a series of activities will be held in the Athlete's Village and the Ice and Snow World, including Heilongjiang's intangible cultural heritage experiences, ice acrobatics performances, and an opera art parade.
Wang Heshung, vice president and secretary General of the Organizing Committee said that more than 100 ice and snow activities will be held, including the 2024 -2025 ice and snow season, the 41st Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, and the Winter Triathlon World Cup.
This is the end of today's program.
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