In the rink a crucial game for the international youth ice hockey tournament is underway - the Tiger Ice Hockey Team from China is up against the Ice Lions from South Korea. 8-year-old kids armed with hockey sticks run, shoot, crash and clip, already skilled and hardened to this physical and demanding sport. Sweat trickles down their foreheads, but still they skate on, full of energy and determination. These photos of the kids out on the ice were captured by China Radio International reporters. 

After the game, one of the young players said "I can have fun together with my team when I play ice hockey with them. The competition is really fierce on the ice, and I'm happy that I can help my teammates. I think I became stronger after I began to play ice hockey, I even gained some weight."

Ice hockey is a fast-paced, physical team sport played in a rink, and is hugely popular in the US, Canada and several other countries.

The sport has grown in popularity in China’s northeast, before gradually shifting towards the south of the country. Kids in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have all begun to play ice hockey, with more and more facilities opening in recent years. The 24th Winter Olympic Games is going to be held in Beijing and Zhangjiakou in 2022, making now the perfect time for ice hockey to grow more popular among Chinese people. 

s Zhang Dongdong, the coach of the Tiger Ice hockey team says, “I believe with the approach of 2022, more and more ice hockey stadiums will be built in big cities, and more and more kids will join the sport. It is not only because of policies supporting ice hockey, but also the attraction of the sport itself, it draws people in to play it and enjoy it.” 

Canada could well claim itself to be the home of ice hockey, with the sport enjoying huge popularity in the country. According to the statistics of the International Ice Hockey Federation, there are over 720,000 professional players registered in Canada. Just weeks after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to China, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is coming to Canada on an official visit from September 21 to 24. Given China’s growing interest in the sport, will Mr. Trudeau invite Premier Li to watch a game of ice hockey during the visit? 

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