If China was able to bag a record 11 medals in Turin, one wonders what they will be able to do in Beijing.

The winter Olympics have never been strong for China, they have few adequate ski facilities and have not invested that much in winter sports.

China is a perennial powerhouse in the Summer Games and the government, and business sponsors, have invested far more in athletes training for the 2008 Beijing Olympics than in their cold-weather counterparts.

“It’s impossible for China to devote itself fully to developing winter sports,” Xiao said, adding economic development, geographical and climate restrictions limited the popularity of skiing, skating and other winter sports to the middle class of China’s north.

Further reading.