A ski race sets off in Changchun for the Vasaloppet Ski Festival 2014.

Changchun, the capital city of Northeast China's Jilin province, attracts worldwide attention each winter by hosting the International Vasaloppet Ski Festival.

The festival is a combination of ski races, an ice and snow sculpture exhibition and a range of other activities that bring tourists from China and abroad to the city.

"The ski race festival has become the city's signature event, and now more people in China and abroad know the city because of the race," said Chen Keshi, director of tourism administration at Jingyue Economic Development Zone in Changchun.

This year's festival started in December and will last until March 15. A total of seven races and 19 holiday events will be held during the festival.

It is the first time the city has hosted the festival since Changchun's entry into the internationally recognized Worldloppet Ski Federation in Italy in June.

Founded in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1978, the Worldloppet promotes cross-country skiing by staging races between member states around the world.

Guan Shusen, director of the administrative committee of the Jingyue Economic Development Zone, said Changchun has spent 13 years building up to membership of the federation.