BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games, which will be held on Friday in Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

The top leader will also declare the Games open.

Xi will host a welcome banquet for foreign leaders attending the opening ceremony, including Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister of Thailand Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and National Assembly Speaker of the Republic of Korea Woo Won-shik.

The opening ceremony will be broadcast live by China Media Group. Xinhuanet will provide live coverage with photos and text updates.