Austria’s Highest National Honor Bestowed in China Again
Mr. Huang Geng, President of Biancheng Sports, Awarded the Silver Honor Medal of the Republic of Austria
At 16:30 on August 29 Beijing time, a grand award ceremony was held at the Embassy of Austria in China. On that day, the Silver Honor Medal of the Republic of Austria, personally signed by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, was solemnly presented to Mr. Huang Geng, President of Biancheng Sports, by H.E. Mr. Friedrich Stift, Ambassador of Austria to China, who also pinned it on his chest. This eight-pointed cross-shaped medal was awarded to recognize and appreciate Mr. Huang Geng’s outstanding contributions to the sports and cultural exchanges between China and Austria.
During the award ceremony, H.E. Mr. Friedrich Stift, Ambassador of Austria to China, highly commended Mr. Huang Geng’s efforts in promoting sports and cultural exchanges between China and Austria. Since 2002, Mr. Huang has introduced the Austrian outdoor lifestyle to China and has played a positive role in promoting sports, leisure, and tourism between the two countries for many years. Meanwhile, Austrian outdoor and ski brands have rapidly developed and gained high recognition in the Chinese market thanks to Mr. Huang’s efforts.
In 2002, Huang Geng founded Biancheng Sports in Nanjing, Jiangsu, dedicated to advancing the development of outdoor and skiing sports in China, and closely cooperating with relevant Austrian enterprises. In 2003, Biancheng Sports became the exclusive distributor of the Austrian brand Northland in Greater China, bringing the brand’s healthy outdoor lifestyle philosophy to Chinese outdoor enthusiasts. Over the years, the brand has continuously innovated and become the travel choice of many celebrities, gradually establishing an image of returning to nature. In 2016, Head, Austria’s top-tier ski equipment brand, ranked first in the International Ski Federation’s professional athlete points standings and made its grand entry into China. Out of trust, Head chose Biancheng Sports as its strategic partner in China. In the same year, due to its tireless promotion and investment in the sports industry, Biancheng Sports was recognized as a National Sports Industry Demonstration Unit by the General Administration of Sport of China.
Under the leadership of Mr. Huang Geng, Biancheng Sports introduced well-known Austrian outdoor and ski brands Northland and Head to China. Over the years, the company has carefully managed and adapted them to localized business development, guiding Chinese outdoor enthusiasts to better understand outdoor and skiing sports, and deepening their recognition of these two brands. With the opportunity of the 2022 Winter Olympics, as a traditional skiing powerhouse, Austria boasts abundant skiing resources and top-tier ski brands. In 2012, a new spark was ignited through the strategic cooperation between Biancheng Sports and the Austrian Embassy’s Commercial Section, leading to the annual co-hosting of the “Austria Ski Race” charity ski event in China. The event has seen participation from over 20 Austrian companies in China and more than a hundred skiing enthusiasts, and has been successfully held for eight editions to date, becoming a highlight of domestic ski competitions.
Regarding receiving the Austrian Silver Honor Medal, Mr. Huang Geng said: “I am very happy to have the opportunity to receive this medal, signed by the President of Austria, which represents outstanding contributions to cultural exchanges between China and Austria. This honor is also the result of the joint efforts of all my colleagues at Biancheng Sports. As the 2022 Winter Olympics approaches, we are honored to have the opportunity to promote the development of winter sports in China and the growth of Austria’s top ski brands in the country.” At the same time, Mr. Huang also expressed sincere gratitude to governments at all levels for their long-term support, as well as to relevant business partners in both China and Austria, and pledged to continue contributing to the promotion of sports and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
The award ceremony specially invited Mr. Huang Geng’s teacher, leaders from the General Administration of Sport of China, officials from the Nanjing Sports Bureau, Nanjing Jianye District Government, Nanjing Culture and Tourism Bureau, and nearly 40 guests and industry media from the outdoor and skiing sectors to attend. Together, they witnessed the glorious moment when Mr. Huang Geng, President of Biancheng Sports, was honored. We hope to see more Chinese enterprises strengthen exchanges in the field of sports culture, take the promotion of the outdoor industry as their mission, and while achieving rapid and sound development, pay more attention to industry progress and become enterprises with a stronger sense of social responsibility.