CSCLF leaders and distinguished guests plant trees in honor of China-ASEAN friendship. [Photo/ CSCLF]

       
The first China-ASEAN Youth Football Tournament ended on March 11, 2015 in Dongxing, Guangxi province. Among those at the closing ceremony were CSCLF Vice President Jing Dunquan; Wei Jixiang, vice president of the Chinese Football Association; Huang Ying, director of the Comprehensive Coordination department of the China-ASEAN Center, and Song Jian, deputy director of the CSCLF International Relations department.

As part of the ceremony, Jing and the young soccer players planted trees in a park in honor of the China-ASEAN friendship.

The awards ceremony [Photo/ CSCLF]

The soccer match was held in the right place and at the right time, Jing said in his talks with local government officials. It comes as the central government launches deeper soccer reforms, and has gained the generous support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and the General Administration of Sport. At the same time, Dongxing, where the match is held, is a gateway to China for ASEAN countries and lies at the center of the ASEAN economic zone.

The competition ended in the afternoon with Malaysia winning the top spot. Vietnam and Myanmar won the second and third place respectively. China came in fourth.

Despite its underperformance in the game, the Chinese players learned how to work together as a team. And, in the eight-day event, the young players from China and ASEAN countries became friends and learned more about various cultures.