A world of ice and snow, natural beauty, festivals and various well-organized leisure and sporting activities combine to make Jilin province one of the nation's top winter tourist destinations.
Despite great achievements in the past years, Jilin province in Northeast China remains underdeveloped, and the priority for the authorities is promoting reform and development in an "unswerving" way to improve the lives of residents.
As Ren Jianguo awakens every day, the Songhua River that runs through his home city of Jilin is still covered in early morning mist. Several mallards briskly paddle around the nearby cove.
