BEIJING, CHINA (December 28, 2008)- Four months after serving as host of the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China is mulling a bid to host the 2018 Winter Games in the northern city of Harbin, state media said on Thursday, quoting a government official.Harbin, capital of northeastern Heilongjiang province, has spent $440 million on venues and facilities to host 4,000 athletes for the World University Winter Games in February, and would use the event as a dry run, the province's governor, Li Zhanshu, told the China Daily.
"If the hosting of the 2009 Winter Universiade can win applause from all the guests, it will enhance our confidence to bid for the Winter Olympic Games," Li said.
Harbin, famous for its annual ice sculpture festival, had failed in its bid to host the 2010 Winter Games, awarded to Vancouver.
"If we fail again for the 2018 Games, we are determined to win the 2022 Winter Games. It's our dream to host China's first Winter Olympics," Li said, adding that final sign-off for the bid would come from China's sports ministry.
The bustling city of some five million people would face competition from Munich, which declared itself a candidate last December, and from France, where three towns -- Annecy, Nice and Grenoble -- have indicated interest.
August's Beijing Games were largely hailed as a spectacular success for China, despite myriad concerns ranging from air pollution to human-rights abuses.
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