Two sculptures of Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon make their debut at the launch ceremony of the China-ASEAN Guilin (Guanyang) Outdoor Ice and Snow Tourism Training Base on Aug 8. [Photo by Li Muhang for en.gxzf.gov.cn]

Construction began on the 1.5-square-kilometer China-ASEAN Guilin (Guanyang) Outdoor Ice and Snow Tourism Training Base on Aug 8, which is expected to be the largest alpine skiing tourism resort with diversified ski runs in South China.

Located in the Haiyang Mountain Range in west Guanyang county of Guilin, the base will be built in three phases, with an investment of 500 million yuan ($74 million). Upon operation, it will have the capacity to hold 5,000 people for skiing. It is expected to provide more opportunities for Guanyang's economic development, while filling the gap in ice and snow tourism facilities of Guilin in the winter.

Two sculptures of Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon, the mascots of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, were transported from Beijing to Guanyang, making their debut the same day. It will be placed in the base at an altitude of 1,900 meters to help promote ice and snow sports.

Lu Song, Party secretary of Guanyang county, said that the project's first phase is expected to open to the public ahead of the next Spring Festival, which will fall on Jan 22, 2023.