The Chefs de Mission Seminar for the ninth Asian Winter Games got underway in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Monday, with representatives from 32 National Olympic Committees in attendance.

During the seminar, the Hangzhou Asian Winter Games Organizing Committee (HAWGOC) will present updates on the preparations for next year's Asian Winter Games. Detailed discussions are also being held on 17 major topics, including competition services, competition venues, the Athletes Village, anti-doping measures, and catering and accommodation services. The organizers will address questions and concerns raised by the Chefs de Mission as well.

Throughout the seminar, the Organizing Committee will conduct multiple one-on-one sessions with the delegation chiefs and set up consultation booths covering 14 operational areas including ticketing, protocol and medical services, to better understand the needs of each delegation. In addition, the Chefs de Mission will also visit competition venues to gain a thorough understanding of the facilities and site conditions.

"We are pleased to see that with the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, HAWGOC has achieved great success," said Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) vice president Song Luzeng. "On behalf of the OCA, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the COC (Chinese Olympic Committee) and HAWGOC for the great efforts and achievements you have made in the past year."

The ninth Asian Winter Games, scheduled to be held February 7-14, 2025, will feature record-setting participation from 34 National Olympic Committees, according to the organizers.