Role as global tourism hub seen for Harbin

Olympic Council of Asia official hails city's prowess as host of Winter Asiad

The Harbin Asian Winter Games have been the best Winter Asiad yet, and the host city has the potential to become a global winter tourism hub with its natural environment, said Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, first vice-president of the Olympic Council of Asia, in an exclusive interview with China Daily.

Harbin was designated as the host city for the continental sporting gala on July 8, 2023, leaving the city with just 18 months to prepare for the event — a considerably shorter time frame than the usual several years of preparation needed for major international sporting events.

"That's absolutely a miracle," Fok said, adding that the Games' legacy will benefit local people.