Feature: China’s century-old “hometown of football” expands circle of friends through int’l exchanges

CHANGCHUN, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) — Traveling thousands of kilometers from her tropical homeland to northeast China to participate in a football event, Phonphirun Philawan finds herself fully immersed in a unique and exciting experience.
The 25-year-old player from Thailand represented the team of College of Asian Scholars at the ongoing 2nd Asian University Sports Federation Football Cup in Longjing City, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, northeast China’s Jilin Province. The eight-day event has attracted 12 university teams from eight countries and regions including China, Saudi Arabia, Nepal and South Korea.
It has been her fourth trip to China. According to Philawan, the weather in Longjing was “a bit cold,” but the delicious local cuisines, well-equipped facilities, and enthusiastic football atmosphere have made her feel warm and welcomed.
“Football has a history of more than 100 years here. It’s incredible,” Philawan said, adding that she wants to take this opportunity to make more friends who play football and immerse herself in the charm of the city.
Yanbian is one of the pioneering regions in China where football started to develop. Up to now, it has sent more than 40 players to national teams at all levels and more than 500 players to clubs. In the past 30 years, Yanbian has nurtured several professional teams. Moreover, the local public’s passion for the sport is truly remarkable.
In recognition of its pivotal role in shaping the football landscape in China, Yanbian was honored with the title of “hometown of football”. In 1979, it became one of the first cities in the nation to be designated as a “key city” for football development.
As stated by Zheng Quan, deputy governor of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Yanbian has now also been known as a pilot area for youth football training system.
“On my way from the airport to here, I saw many football fields and many young people were playing football. I also noticed a spectacular park with football elements. I didn’t expect so many spectators would come here and watch football games,” said Tamem Mohamed from the University of Doha for Science and Technology.
The park that Tamem Mohamed mentioned is located in Yanji City, the capital of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. As a key project for the 70th anniversary of the founding of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in 2022, the park has now become a landmark building and is often packed with football lovers.
“The prefecture has built 276 football venues, with an average of 1.42 per 10,000 people, which ranks among the top tier in China,” said Jin Guofan, director of Yanbian Sports Bureau, adding that to further meet the people’s needs, besides hosting professional league matches, the prefecture also organizes non-professional events.
“Football is a key for me to know the world, and it is also a key for the world to know Yanbian,” said Jin Yusheng, a 21-year-old goalkeeper representing Yanbian University. He highlighted the profound impact of football culture in his hometown, which boasts a rich history and resonates with individuals of all ages. According to Jin, Yanbian has successfully hosted numerous international events in recent years, providing invaluable opportunities to tell the story of Yanbian to the world.
Longjing Hailanjiang Football Culture Town is the venue for the 2nd Asian University Sports Federation Football Cup. Zhang Wenji, head of the project’s investor, said that since its completion in 2018, the town has held a total of 820 large and medium-sized events, receiving more than 500,000 people in total.
“By integrating football events with cultural tourism, Yanbian has been expanding its circle of friends on football fields,” remarked Zhang. “This trend has stimulated local consumption across various sectors, while elevating the international recognition of local scenic spots.”
“In Yanbian, I saw the passion for football in people’s eyes and the enthusiastic exchanges among young people from different cultural backgrounds,” stated Ali Massari Al Dhaheri, an assessor of the Asian University Sports Federation.
He further expressed that he hoped more cities in China, akin to Yanbian, to host football events, and believed such initiatives would not only elevate the overall standard of Chinese football but also infuse a renewed sense of hope for the cities’ future development. ■