Reporter’s Notebook: rival Chinese soccer teams keen to claim President Xi as one of their own
When President Xi Jinping spoke about Chinese soccer last week at the annual parliamentary meetings, fans of the sport pricked up their ears, hoping to find out which team he supports
President Xi Jinping has been an avowed soccer fan since his chilldhood.
So when he spoke about Chinese soccer last week during the annual parliamentary meetings, fans of the sport pricked up their ears, hoping to find out which local team he supports.
Xi had had a brief chat with National People’s Congress delegate Chen Xuyuan, who is chairman of Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) and one of China’s best-known soccer diehards, last Thursday.
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According to state-owned Shanghai newspaper Jiefang Daily, Chen updated Xi on the Shanghai SIPG Football Club’s preparations for the forthcoming Chinese Super League, including the team’s ambitious target to finish in the top three to gain entry to next year’s AFC Champions League.
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“I can sense [from my chat with Xi] that he has high hopes for the sport,” Chen was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
Local entrepreneur and SIPG fan Edward Zhang said: “Xi obviously has a positive attitude towards SIPG. This has got to be Chen’s biggest achievement from his participation in this year’s NPC meetings.”
Xi’s conversation with Chen certainly appears to have inspired and encouraged the team and their fans.
On Saturday, SIPG got off to a good start in the league when they defeated Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty 2-1 at Shanghai Stadium. Some 31,600 spectators attended the match.