By Zhang Jiaying, 

Located in the southeastern part of Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, the Yabuli Ski Resort is the venue for snow events at the 9th Asian Winter Games.

It is reported that the Yabuli Ski Resort utilizes nearly 1.3 million cubic meters of artificial snow. In the lead-up to the Games, 150 snow-making machines operated continuously 24/7, generating a steady supply of snow.

However, when Harbin hosted the 1996 Asian Winter Games, the snow that covered the competition slopes was collected from different places. At peak times, as many as 2,000 people were involved in manually transporting snow uphill each day.

At the time, due to unstable power supply, large-scale snowmaking was not an option. Today, the picture looks vastly different. Harbin's successful bid to host the 9th Asian Winter Games is now backed by robust infrastructure: a 10-kilovolt power line stretches over 50 kilometers across the mountains, while digital power management systems and intelligent drone inspections ensure seamless event operations. Snow production is no longer a challenge.

Each snowflake, once carried up the mountain by hand and now produced with advanced technology, reflects China's growing expertise in hosting international events as well as the country's rising technological prowess.

Beyond snow production, Chinese innovation is making its mark across the Asian Winter Games.

High-performance, domestically developed waterproof and breathable materials are woven into Chinese athletes' podium uniforms. Advanced track wind-field imaging and ultra-precise speed measurement technology provide real-time wind speed data with an accuracy of 0.1 meters per second.

Besides, with 5G-enabled inventory management, event materials can be tracked and counted without manual intervention, ensuring efficiency and accuracy. China's first fully automated ice resurfacing machine is operating at Harbin's Ice and Snow World, dramatically increasing ice-cutting efficiency by several orders of magnitude.

Major international sporting events serve as a stage for showcasing a nation's comprehensive strength. From the "Water Cube" transforming into the "Ice Cube" at the Beijing Winter Olympics, to the digital torchbearer making waves at the Hangzhou Asian Games, and now to the technological marvels of the Harbin Asian Winter Games - China's relentless innovation is continuing to create unforgettable moments.

At the Yabuli Ski Resort, the venue for snow events of the 9th Asian Winter Games, firefighters conduct specialized training and technical drills for snowfield rescue in preparation for the Games, Nov. 21, 2024. (Photo by Wang Hongtong/People's Daily Online)

Athletes compete in the final of the Women's 4x5km Cross-Country Skiing relay event at the 9th Asian Winter Games held at the Yabuli Ski Resort in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Feb. 12, 2025. (Photo from People's Daily App)

The main cauldron of the Harbin Asian Winter Games is lit, Feb. 7, 2025. (Photo by Hu Qingming/People's Daily Online)

A research team from the   uses an intelligent ice rink analysis system to conduct real-time monitoring of speed skating competitions during the 9th Asian Winter Games. (Photo from the official account of the Heilongjiang Research Institute of Sports Science on WeChat)