2017 ‘Soong Ching Ling Cup’ASEAN-China Youth Football Friendly Matches Concluded Successfully

On 11 August, the closing activities of 2017 ‘Soong Ching Ling Cup’ ASEAN-China Youth Football Friendly Matches were held at the training base of General Administration of Sport of China, including final match, awards ceremony and closing ceremony. Mr. Jing Dunquan, Vice Chairman of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Mr. Lin Xiaohua, Executive Committee Member of China Football Association, Mr. Sun Jianhua, Deputy Director of Education, Culture and Tourism Division of ASEAN China Centre and Mr. Ding Qipeng, Director of the training base attended the activities and presented awards. After heated contests, Chinese youth team A won the championship followed by the teams from Thailand and Lao PDR ranking the second and third place respectively. Moreover, the best shooter, the most valuable player, the best goalkeeper and fair competition awards were presented at the ceremony.

The matches were actively participated by 10 teams from both ASEAN and China with players under the age of 12. In addition to the matches since the opening on 7 August, the teams have also visited the Laolongkou Great Wall in Beidaihe and the Qinhuangdao Aquarium under the arrangement of the Organizing Committee. On 12 August, the young players also visited the Forbidden City, Mme. Soong Ching Ling’s former residence in Beijing and attended cultural activities in Soong Ching Ling Science and Culture Centre for Young People. On 13 August, ASEAN teams left Beijing for their home countries.

ASEAN teams congratulated on the success of the event and thanked the organizing committee for the well-organized programme and considerate arrangements and looked forward to the continuity of the matches in the following years to strengthen ASEAN-China youth exchanges. Many young players from ASEAN countries said that this was the first time for them to participate in international matches. China was the first foreign country they visited and left them with memorable impressions. They enjoyed not only the football matches, but also the friendship with young players of China and the other ASEAN teams, and learned more about China from those interesting cultural activities. They would share these experiences with their families and friends when get back home.