Brazil’s Ronaldo vies for the ball with China’s Du Wei and Xu Yunlong at the 2002 Fifa World Cup. Photo: AFP Brazil’s Ronaldo vies for the ball with China’s Du Wei and Xu Yunlong at the 2002 Fifa World Cup. Photo: AFP
Brazil’s Ronaldo vies for the ball with China’s Du Wei and Xu Yunlong at the 2002 Fifa World Cup. Photo: AFP
Jonathan White
Opinion

Opinion

Jonathan White

Party propaganda a strange tactic to realise Xi’s World Cup dream – even for Chinese football

  • In between the pool and karaoke sessions, Chinese Super League players and staff have been given lessons in CCP values during coronavirus bubble
  • Country has aim of being football superpower by 2050 but has only qualified for one Fifa World Cup in 2002

Jonathan White
Jonathan White

Updated: 10:42am, 31 Aug, 2020

Why you can trust SCMP
Brazil’s Ronaldo vies for the ball with China’s Du Wei and Xu Yunlong at the 2002 Fifa World Cup. Photo: AFP Brazil’s Ronaldo vies for the ball with China’s Du Wei and Xu Yunlong at the 2002 Fifa World Cup. Photo: AFP
Brazil’s Ronaldo vies for the ball with China’s Du Wei and Xu Yunlong at the 2002 Fifa World Cup. Photo: AFP
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Jonathan White

Jonathan White

Jonathan White joined the Post in 2017 after a decade reporting on sport from China. He originally moved to Beijing to coach football in 2007 and later spent two years in Shanghai.