During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Germany, Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (a.k.a. CPAFFC) led Rainbow Bridge-Volkswagen Youth Football Team to Germany for exchange during March 26 to 30, 2014. The opening ceremony of “Pursue Chinese Youth’s Football Dream” China-Germany Junior Football Training Camp and a friendly match was held in Wolfsburg. President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, Cai Zhenhua, deputy director of the State General Administration of Sport of China and Chairman of Chinese Football Association, who made a special trip for this event, Mme. Li Xiaolin, President of the CPAFFC, Martin Winterkorn, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen AG, Grindal, Representative of German Football Association (DFB) attended the event.
Rainbow Bridge Project is an innovative project of people-to-people diplomacy initiated by the CPAFFC in October, 2012. The project servers as a bridge that connects multinational corporations, and it is aiming to leverage multinational corporations’ CSR resources to help Old Liberated Areas, eventually to achieve a win-win. So far, there are over 40 multinational corporations own and participate in specific subprojects. Hong’an Youth Football Team (boy’s team) and Zhidan Youth Football Team (co-ed team) sponsored by Volkswagen is one of the subprojects.
The Chinese delegation includes 20 male and female football players aged from 11 to 14 and 3 coaches from Zhidan County, Shaanxi Province and Hong’an County, Hubei Province. The delegation received professional training in Bundesliga Club-Wolfsburg and had exchange with Wolfsburg U12 Youth Football Team during March 24 to 28. On March 29, the opening ceremony of “Pursue Chinese Youth’s Football Dream” China-Germany Junior Football Training Camp and a friendly match was held in Berlin Olympic Stadium, Germany. President Xi Jinping and his wife watched the game and had cordial talks with young football players from China and Germany.
On the football field, Chinese players’ indomitable spirit and putting friendship before competition were highly appreciated by President Xi and the audience. After the game, President Xi and his wife shook hands with every player from the two countries and took group photos. He encouraged Chinese junior players to be the pioneer of China’s junior football. Representatives of Zhidan and Hong’an football team presented President Xi their team pennant signed by all the players, and Grindal gave President Xi a football with autographs of all the members of German national football team. This event demonstrated the flexibility of people-to-people diplomacy. People’s friendship was successfully promoted through football, meanwhile, the event became a highlight of President Xi’s visit to Europe.
This event has formally started Rainbow Bridge-Wolfsburg China-Germany Junior Football Training Camp. Wolfsburg Club will successively send experienced coaches to Zhidan and Hong’an for coaching, and invite promising players to Germany. When reporting to President Xi, Mme. Li Xiaolin said, through Rainbow Bridge Project, the CPAFFC brought these young players from Old Liberated Areas abroad and realized their Chinese Football dream, the project will continue to serve as a bridge for development of Chinese football. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen AG said, Volkswagen AG will work with CPAFFC to fully support China’s football development. Volkswagen will bring football team to China for tournaments and establish junior football clubs in 11 Chinese cities where Volkswagen factories are located.
President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, Li Xiaolin, President of the CPAFFC and Martin Winterkorn, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen AG etc. takes a group photo with junior football players of China and Germany
President Xi thumbs up cheering for players in the field
German players wear commemorative scarfs printed with name of this event for Chinese players
Chinese players show their indomitable spirit in the field
Chinese players receive professional training in Bundesliga Club-Wolfsburg
Chinese players receive professional training in Bundesliga Club-Wolfsburg
Chinese players receive professional training in Bundesliga Club-Wolfsburg
Chinese players ask for autographs and take group photo with active stars of Bundesliga Wolfsburg Football Club
