China mulling bid for 2018 Winter Games

BEIJING (Reuters) - Four months after successfully holding the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China is mulling a bid to host the 2018 Winter Games in the frigid northern city of Harbin, state media said on Thursday, quoting a government official.

Harbin, capital of northeastern Heilongjiang province, has spent 3 billion yuan ($440 million) on venues and facilities to host 4,000 athletes for the World University Winter Games in February, and would use the event as a dry run, the province's governor Li Zhanshu told the China Daily.

"If the hosting of the 2009 Winter Universiade can win applause from all the guests, it will enhance our confidence to bid for the Winter Olympic Games," Li said.

Harbin, a one-time enclave for White Russian emigres after their defeat in the Russian Civil War (1917-21) but more famous for its annual ice sculpture festival, previously failed to be short-listed for the 2010 Games awarded to Vancouver.

"If we fail again for the 2018 Games, we are determined to win the 2022 Winter Games. It's our dream to host China's first Winter Olympics," Li said, adding that final sign-off for the bid would come from China's sports ministry.

The bustling city of some five million people would face competition from Munich, which declared itself a candidate last December, and from France, where three towns -- Annecy, Nice and Grenoble -- have flagged interest.

August's Beijing Games were largely hailed as a spectacular success for China, despite myriad concerns, ranging from air pollution to human rights abuses, dogging organizers in the lead-up.

China is also to host the 2010 Asian Games in the southern city of Guangzhou.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Martin Petty)