People revel in playing winter sports in Baishan city, in Jilin province. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Northeast China's Jilin province is to provide a major boost to its ice-snow economy, by teaming up with the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in Northwest China, according to a report in the Jilin Daily.

Baishan city in Jilin province is said to be positioned at the golden latitude for ice and snow, at 41 degrees north. With a snow season lasting six months a year and an average snow coverage of more than 1 meter, it is recognized as having some of the best quality powder snow in Asia.

The city's next step is reportedly to focus on creating a new development pattern for ice and snow tourism – with the Changbai Mountains as the marketing brand – to advance winter sports.

On March 12 last year, the Jilin government and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region government signed a strategic framework agreement in Beijing to jointly develop a leading development pilot zone for the ice and snow economy in China – in the Changbai Mountains-Altai Mountains region. 

Under the agreement, they are said to be making full use of the resources advantages of the Changbai Mountains and the Altai Mountains, as well as deepening various exchanges and cooperation. Moreover, they are expected to strengthen their combined endeavors in top-level planning and design, infrastructure construction and the development of projects, to further the ice and snow economy.

In the wake of the accord reached by the Jilin and Xinjiang governments, both sides plan to work closer together in the development of the winter tourism industry and to boost regional exchanges.

The Jitai (Jilin-Altay) tourist-dedicated train service was reportedly launched to promote the unique landscape, as well as the tourism sector in the Altay Prefecture.