On March 7, the Heilongjiang delegation to the National People’s Congress held an open day. (Photo/Guo Junfeng)

Beijing - On March 7, the Heilongjiang delegation to the National People’s Congress (NPC) held an open day spotlighting the province’s key development priorities. Agriculture and snow tourism consumption stood out, drawing strong media attention for their significance to China’s broader development.

Heilongjiang is one of China’s major agricultural provinces, and its agricultural development plays a crucial role in ensuring Chinese food security. Liang Huiling, a deputy to the NPC and Governor of Heilongjiang Province, stated that the province has over 250 million acres (167 thousand square kilometers) of arable land, accounting for more than one-ninth of the nation's total arable area, ranking first in China.

With the largest area of arable land in the country, Heilongjiang also leads in grain production. Liang emphasized that for every nine bowls of rice consumed nationwide, one comes from Heilongjiang. By 2025, the province’s total grain output reached 164 billion jin (82 million tons), maintaining its top position in the country for 16 consecutive years. Heilongjiang contributes 23.6% of China's total increase in grain production, making it a “keystone” for national food security.

The province’s leading grain production is largely attributed to its rich black soil resources. Heilongjiang’s typical black soil area accounts for 56.1% of China’s total and is part of one of the world's three major black soil belts, the others being the Ukrainian Great Plain and the Mississippi River Basin in the United States. Black soil is rich in organic matter, loose in texture, and has excellent water retention and fertility, making it ideal for farming.

In addition to soil advantages, agricultural technology is a key factor in Heilongjiang’s agricultural success. Liang shared, “Farmers say that agricultural machinery makes farming easier.”

Heilongjiang boasts a total of 676,000 smart agricultural machines, ranking first in the country, along with the highest number of plant protection drones and operational area. The province supports the integrated development, manufacturing, and promotion of agricultural machinery, expanding high-end smart applications such as precision sowing and high-speed transplanting.

Wang Hesheng, an NPC deputy and Mayor of the Harbin Municipal People's Government, answered questions from the press and introduced Heilongjiang's snow tourism. (Photo/Guo Junfeng)

Snow tourism is another prominent feature of Heilongjiang. As China’s northernmost province, its long and cold winters provide a unique advantage for winter tourism. At the open day, a Russian journalist showed great interest in Heilongjiang’s snow tourism appeal. Wang Hesheng, a deputy to the NPC and Mayor of the Harbin Municipal People's Government, shared the sector’s development.

Heilongjiang's snow tourism attracts many international visitors. Wang mentioned a German travel blogger with over ten years of experience who had visited ice and snow scenic spots in more than 20 countries. He claimed he had never seen such a grand ice and snow city.

Heilongjiang's snow tourism offers a variety of experiences, including sightseeing, sports, festivals, and study tours. The province features large-scale ice and snow attractions, various ice and snow sports experiences, unique winter festivals, and multiple themed tourism routes.

Wang added that Heilongjiang’s snow tourism is on a path of sustainable development. By 2025, the province’s ice and snow economy is expected to reach a total scale of 301.18 billion yuan, a 13.2% increase. During the 2025-2026 winter season, the province is projected to host 150 million visitors, with total tourism spending reaching 245.47 billion yuan, growing by 10.4% and 15.1%, respectively.