Team China secured eight gold, eight silver and four bronze medals on the first gold medal day of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province on Saturday, topping both the gold medal and overall medal standings.

(250208) -- HARBIN, Feb. 8, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Liu Bin of China falls after the speed skating men's 100m final at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

South Korea’s speed skater Park Ji-won (right) celebrates after confirming his victory in the final round of the short track mixed 2,000m relay at the Harbin Asian Winter Games at the Heilongjiang Ice Events Training Center Multifunctional Hall in Harbin,

The ninth Asian Winter Games (AWG) is being held in Harbin, the capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, from February 7 to 14, 2025, representing the latest international comprehensive winter sports event held in China since the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

China's Li Fanghui secured the host nation's first gold medal at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games, triumphing in the women's freeski halfpipe event at the Yabuli Ski Resort on Saturday.

(250208) -- HARBIN, Feb. 8, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Yang Binyu of China competes during the women's 1500m final match of the speed skating event at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

The ninth Asian Winter Games opened in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin on Friday with a celebration of athletes from across the continent. Hosting the Winter Asiad for the second time under the motto,