Games South Korea's Kim Kyeong-ae (L) and Seong Ji-hoon are in action during the mixed doubles curling final against Japan at the Asian Winter Games at the Harbin Pingfang Curling Arena on Feb. 8, 2025.

Under the motto 'Dream of Winter, Love among Asia' and through a festive opening ceremony supported by the spectacle and culture of ice, Chinese

This is a collection of photos chosen by AP photo editors.

As the 9th Asian Winter Games began their first official day of competition, anticipation soared for the event to foster unity, drive shared prosperity, and deepen friendships across Asia and beyond.

Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state attend the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

The lit cauldron of the 9th Asian Winter Games is pictured at the Harbin Ice and Snow World Park during the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao)

President Asif Ali Zardari attended the grand opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and other heads of states from Asia. The ceremony drew high-profile attendees, including the Sultan of Brunei, the President of Kyrgyzstan, and the Prime Minister of Thailand.

HARBIN - As the night sky over Harbin glows with the lights of the Asian Winter Games opening ceremony, 20-year-old Liu Mengting will take center stage - not on the slopes where she usually soars, but at the helm of Team China, leading her fellow athletes into the spotlight as the host country's flagbearer.