Laos won the championship at the Soong Ching Ling Cup China-ASEAN Youth friendship soccer tournament, which was organized to mark the 15-year anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership.

Thailand came in second, and China third. The games took place in the national soccer training base from Aug 13 to 16.

Co-organized by the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, the Chinese Football Association and the China-ASEAN center, eight teams from ASEAN countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam took part in the games.

Hang Yuanxiang, deputy director of the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, said at the opening ceremony: “This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s opening-up, and also the 15th anniversary of China’s strategic relationship with ASEAN. The friendship soccer tournament is a chance for Chinese and ASEAN teenagers to deepen understanding and friendships with each other.”

According to Chen Haide, secretary of the China-ASEAN center, China and ASEAN are becoming a closer community of destiny. Teenage soccer players are “little emissaries” between China and the ASEAN countries.

Thit Linn Ohn, Vietnam’s ambassador to China, congratulated the Laos team for winning the championship. According to him, three years of contests have been organized since 2016, and the connection between China and ASEAN teens has been strengthened. He wished teenage players would bring beautiful memories back home to share with family and friends.