Storyline Ski gear sales on a roll in China As more people hit the slopes to enjoy the winter ski season in China, sales are climbing for everything from apparel to snowboards. In central China's Henan Province, jackets, goggles, gloves and other ski equipment are prominently displayed at an outdoor gear store, with staff seeing a noticeable uptick in turnover. Li Weiwei, Staff member, outdoor equipment store: "As temperatures drop, sales of ski apparel are rising, generally by about 15 percent to 20 percent." Elsewhere in the province, a snowboard factory is bustling with activity, with finished boards being shipped out immediately after rolling off the production line. The manager of its foreign trade department reports rising consumer demand for high-performance snowboards. He Xiaojing, Manager, foreign trade department, sports good company: "Demand for board performance has intensified, requiring the integration of more advanced materials such as titanium alloys and carbon fiber layers or strips. Last year, orders for those complex products numbered only in the thousands. This year, they are projected to reach over 10,000 and approach 20,000 units." According to guidelines issued by the General Office of the State Council, China aims to promote its ice and snow economy as a new growth point, with the goal of scaling it to around 170 billion U.S. dollars by 2027. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]