An international ice-snow festival featuring Chinese, Russian and Mongolian styles is set to be held in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region later this month.

As of December 22, the festival will demonstrate nearly 200 pieces of ice-snow sculptures and miniature constructions in a park covering some 60,000 sq m in Manchu city, which borders Russia and Mongolia, according to Yun Guangzhong, chief director of the festival.

Firework displays and round-city tours will also be included in the two-month event, the ninth of its kind to be jointly held by the China National Tourism Administration and the local governments of neighboring countries.

Total investment in the festival is expected to reach 5 million yuan (about 676,000 U.S. dollars) and most of the fund is from local enterprise donations.

Chinese workers are cutting ice and preparing snow before artists could start sculpting. Preparatory works are in full swing.

Last year's festival attracted more than 130,000 Russian and Mongolian tourists. Manchu city is expected to receive some 4 million tourists both at home and from abroad, according to the local government.

Ice-snow festivals and tours have become a key tourist attraction in China's northeastern region, which is famous for the prominent and picturesque winter landscapes.

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2007)