Since they started on January 5, the games have attracted 1,398 athletes and coaches from 34 local delegations. The cities of Beijing, Nanjing and Shenzhen and the Macao Special Administrative Region have fielded their first ever line-ups at the games, which have been dominated by northeastern provinces for decades.

The athletes have been competing for 78 golds in 10 sports: Speed skating, short-track speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, freestyle skiing, winter biathlon and curling, a new addition to the games.

World-known athletes have taken part in the games, including short-track speed skaters Li Jiajun and Wang Chunlu, freestyle skier Xu Nannan and the figure skating pair of Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo.

The games will also help the host city Harbin better prepare its bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Though the city last year failed in its bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the provincial and municipal governments are determined to bid for the 2014 version.

(China Daily January 17, 2003)