Teams from North America and Europe are mainstays of the Winter Olympic podium. Yet even as the US and Canada lead the way in ice hockey and Scandinavians dominate the slopes, China has established a competitive winter sports program. Across 15 disciplines and 91 events in Milano-Cortina in 2026, the Chinese fielded their largest winter team ever, featuring 126 athletes who captured a record 15 medals.
China finished twelfth on the medal table, but its strong cultural and technological showing in Italy significantly elevated the country’s presence at the 2026 Games. Guided by the successes of the 2008 and 2022 Olympics in Beijing, China continued to execute a robust strategy in Milano-Cortina that allowed it to capitalize on a global sporting event to make gains in strategic competition.
Lessons from 2008 and 2022
Beijing is the only city to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Moreover, Beijing played host during pivotal moments in world history. The 2008 Summer Games showed China stepping into center stage amidst a global financial crisis. In 2022, China demonstrated sophisticated coordination as it navigated a global pandemic.
To host the Olympic Games was not an end in itself. The Chinese hosts viewed successful on- field performances and overall game delivery as political objectives. In 2008, China had Project 119, the sport ministry’s strategy to top the medal table; a “blue sky” campaign to address air pollution; and the extravagant opening ceremony celebrating “China’s rejuvenation.” Coordinated efforts, including tax breaks for the sports industry, investment in youth development programs, and a $3.9 billion investment in Olympic infrastructure, set the stage for 2022.
Even in the face of human rights protests in 2008 and diplomatic boycotts in 2022, the Chinese sports ministry and the government have consistently delivered an overarching message: not only did China finally arrive on the world stage in 2008, it has since become a preeminent geopolitical and technological power.
Chinese Technology in Milano-Cortina
In 2026, China continued to deliver this message through events held beyond its borders.
The showcase of Chinese technology was unmistakable in Milan, whether it was inside competition venues, at the International Broadcasting Center (IBC), or around the city. Tech companies Alibaba and TCL are Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partners in the exclusive categories of cloud services and e-commerce, and consumer electronics. TCL is a partially state-owned company entering its first Olympic cycle as a member of The Olympic Partner (TOP) program. Alibaba is involved with the Chinese government as one of its “national champions.” Of the 11 TOP sponsors, these two represent the lion’s share of technology-related marketing and activations at the Olympic Games.
