While the tradition of skiing stretches back generations in one mountain community in #China’s northwest, authorities are trying to use the tradition as a selling point to tourists. nytimes.com/2022/02/18/spo…
"Still, there is no doubt that skiing has long been a way of life in the Altai Mountains in northern Xinjiang, a nub of territory where China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia intersect."
"In recent years, the local ski tradition in the Altai has faded with the encroachment of modernity and the Chinese government’s promotion of modern winter sports."
"At the same time, the authorities in China have sought to use the area’s ski tradition as a selling point for tourists, part of a larger government-backed plan to transform Xinjiang into an international ski destination."
"In the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics, Chinese state media released a flurry of videos about the local ski culture in Xinjiang and the many ski resorts that have been built around the region."
"During the opening ceremony this month, organizers displayed footage of ethnic minorities in traditional dress skiing in the Altai region."
"Chinese officials have said that the development of winter sports will help bring economic prosperity to the region. But critics have accused the government of using Xinjiang’s ski history to whitewash its harsh repression of ethnic minorities,...
... a crackdown that the United States and other governments have labeled genocide."
“I find it insulting and stomach-turning that the Chinese Communist Party uses the guise of sports to convert our homeland into a ski resort and bury its crimes against humanity and genocidal policies,” said @RushanAbbas.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
