The "Soong Ching Ling Cup" soccer match

The "Soong Ching Ling Cup" soccer match

The "Soong Ching Ling Cup" of China-ASEAN youth soccer friendly match was held at Beijing Institute of Technology on July 30, 2016. Jointly organized by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, the Chinese Football Association and the China-ASEAN Center, the match was held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN relations.

Li Yuanchao, Chinese vice-president, attended and addressed the opening ceremony. Nearly 1,000 people attended the game along with the guests, including Hu Qili, chairman of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation; Qi Qiuming, vice-executive chairman of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation; Jing Dunquan, vice-chairman of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation; Du Zhanyuan, vice-minister of the Ministry of Education; Chen Zhaoxiong, vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; Hu Haiyan, president of the Beijing Institute of Technology; Zhang Jian, vice-executive chairman and secretary-general of the Chinese Football Association; Yang Xiuping, secretary-general of the Chinese Football Association; U Thit Linn Ohn, Myanmar’s Ambassador to China; Dang Minh Khoi, Vietnam's Ambassador to China; and embassy officials from other countries of ASEAN.

The event lasted for five days, and ended on August 3. A total of 10 teams from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and China’s Beijing, Shenzhen and Yanbian took part in the competition. The team from Laos took the first place, with Malaysia coming second, and the Soong Ching Ling Soccer Team of Yanbian third.

During the event, cultural exchange activities such as "soccer into campus", looking around and youth get-together were also held.

By organizing the youth activity across the region, the organizers aim to promote the China-ASEAN’s people-to-people exchanges and friendship, and to strengthen the understanding between China and countries along the “Belt and Road”.