PHNOM PENH, Feb. 4 (Xinhua)—The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) has sent athletes to participate in the Asian Winter Games for the first time, said an NOCC news release on Tuesday.

A total of nine delegates, including coaches and athletes, will take part in the luge competition, the news release said.

"This is the first time for Cambodia, as a tropical and hot country, to have a sports team to participate in the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China," NOCC's Secretary General Vath Chamroeun said.

Chamroeun said the participation also went in line with the policy and vision of the International Olympic Committee, which encouraged countries and regions with hot weather or with no snow or ice to participate in the Winter Games.

He said Cambodian athletes had trained in Republic of Korea prior to the Games.

The 9th Asian Winter Games will take place in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province from Feb. 7 to 14. Over 1,270 athletes from 34 countries and regions across Asia will participate, making this edition the largest in terms of participating delegations and athletes.