For decades, the residents of Mohe viewed their sub-zero temperatures as a developmental hurdle. The shift began in 2016 following a directive to leverage regional resources, prompting a local recalibration that moved away from extractive industries toward eco-tourism and cold-weather testing. By 2025, Beiji village alone reported 2.73 million tourist visits, generating 2.57 billion yuan in revenue. This transformation is rooted in a deliberate policy of ecological restoration that banned commercial logging and placer mining, allowing the region to capitalize on its pristine forests and winter landscape.
How China's coldest city turned a deep freeze into a tourism boom
Perched at 53 degrees north latitude, Mohe once defined itself by its brutal -53 C winters and a reliance on gold mining and logging. Today, the northernmost city in China has pivoted, transforming its extreme climate into a high-value asset that attracts millions of visitors and major industry players annually.
The city’s strategy now relies on diversifying its "cold economy." Beyond tourism, Mohe has become a hub for cold-region vehicle testing, hosting 75 automotive manufacturers during the 2025–2026 season. Local entrepreneurs have also industrialized forest products, with a thriving blueberry wine industry and specialized health resorts utilizing regional medicinal herbs. This economic shift is bolstered by a focus on business infrastructure, where local officials actively scout sites for investors and implement feedback from business owners to maintain a growth-friendly environment. As the region moves toward energy-efficient heating and creative product design, it has successfully transitioned from a resource-depleted outpost into a year-round destination for both travelers and capital investment.
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