The 20th International Ice and Snow Festival opened Monday in this capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.  

According to the city's tourism bureau, entertainment activities during the festival include ice-snow art shows, and cultural and tourism programs.

Business conferences, ice-snow sculpture contests and sports competitions will also be held during the festival, said Du Chuandong, director of the bureau.

The highlight of the festival this year will be a forum on rejuvenation of the old industrial base in northeast China for ambassadors, which has attracted 44 ambassadors and officials of the Beijing offices of some international organizations to give advice for the development of Heilongjiang.

The festival, which was first held in 1985, has become a traditional winter event in the city, attracting tourists from both at home and abroad.

Statistics from the bureau show that more than 6 million people attended last year's festival. Even more people are expected to attend this year, said Du.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2004)