URUMQI -- By 2024, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in northwestern China had built 88,800 sports venues, boosting local sports development and participation, official data showed.

The total marked an increase of 8.4 percent compared to 2023's total of 81,928 venues, and Xinjiang organized 54,000 sports events and activities at various levels throughout last year, bringing athletic activities closer to local communities.

Among the venues are 118 dedicated to winter sports, with the region's favorable natural conditions increasingly attracting young people to participate in winter activities in recent years.

In January, Xinjiang hosted its regional Winter Games for the second consecutive year, drawing participation from 1,058 athletes of various ethnic groups.

"We will continue to invest in building sports facilities and create fitness spaces within reach of every household," said Aert, director of the Xinjiang Sports Bureau. "We are also focusing on key areas such as winter sports and outdoor activities to help drive Xinjiang's economic development."