A news briefing on the World Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo 2020 (WWSE 2020) was held in Beijing on September 5, giving a detailed introduction to the event to open at China National Convention Center on the same day.

Fu Xiaohui, secretary general of Beijing Olympic City Development Association (BODA), Gao Yunchao, deputy secretary general of BODA, Zhao Yinggang, deputy director of the Sustainable Development Committee of the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Zhu Dongfang, president of International Data Group (IDG) Asia, Zhang Li, vice president of IDG China, representatives from countries which were the Guest Country of Honor in the previous editions of the WWSE, and a number of media representatives were present.

The WWSE was co-sponsored by BODA and IDG, and co-organized by the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF) and seven international Olympic winter sports federations, with support from Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Chinese Olympic Committee and the All-China Sports Federation.

The event was held along with the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), which is one of China’s three major exhibition platforms for opening-up, and the world’s first comprehensive exhibition for trade in services. Relying on the CIFTIS platform, the WWSE, a specialized exhibition of winter sports, highlights the important role of the snow and ice sports industry in today’s global trade in services, and provides opportunities for international development of China’s snow and ice sports industry.

In his speech, Gao Yunchao said: “The WWSE has received great help and support from all sectors of society since its initiation five years ago. It aims at supporting the preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics, promoting the development of winter sports, driving high-level development of the ice and snow sports industry, and making new and greater contributions to the staging of a fantastic, extraordinary and excellent Olympic Games.”

Zhang Li gave an introduction to the WWSE 2020 themed “The Power of Ice & Snow”, which had more overseas participants, greater capacity for supporting industrial development and more exhibits suitable for the public. Incorporating exhibitions, summits and forums, business negotiations and publicity, the event was designed to seek opportunities for the development of the ice and snow sports industry, enhance international communication and exchanges, promote sustainable and sound development of the Chinese ice and snow sports industry, and serve as a lead-up to the 2022 Winter Olympics.

At the news briefing, Fu Xiaohui, Zhao Yinggang, Zhu Dongfang and the representatives from Switzerland, Austria and Finland jointly launched the celebration for the fifth anniversary of the WWSE.

After five years of development, the WWSE has gathered abundant resources and many international channels for introduction of global advanced products and services, carried out in-depth international cooperation for driving the development of the Chinese ice and snow sports industry, and contributed to the growth of the global ice and snow industry. It has also has played a big part in popularizing winter sports among the public in China.