Diplomats from Various Countries Form a Football Team to Play "Village Super League" in Guizhou

On the evening of September 28, at the "Village Super League" football field in Rongjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou, a friendly match took place between a team of diplomats and the local "Village Super League" football team Luohanguo.

This international friendly match is part of the "Discover China Cultural Tour" of Guizhou for Diplomats in China—Guizhou Village Super League series of activities hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Embassy of the Argentine Republic in China. The team of foreign diplomats in China consists of 24 diplomats from countries including Argentina, Mexico, Cuba, South Africa, Brazil, and Colombia, marking the first such team to participate in the "Village Super League."

At 8:30 p.m., the match officially kicked off. With intense passing, intercepting, and sprinting on the field, players from both teams fought fiercely for possession. Spectators cheered passionately in the unique "Village Super League" style, shouting "Hanbala" (meaning "go for it" in the Dong language). Ultimately, the team of diplomats from Latin America and the Caribbean countries and Guizhou's local "Village Super League" football team Luohanguo drew 2-2.

Javier Navarro, First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in China, remarked that this was a romantic match he had never experienced before, highlighting the passionate football players, joyful songs and dances, vibrant fireworks, and enthusiastic audience that made the atmosphere enjoyable.

Siyabonga C. Cwele, South African Ambassador to China, also found the "Village Super League" welcoming. He noted that since March 2024, African nations including Benin and South Africa had been continuously organizing their own "Village Super League" matches under the remote guidance of Rongjiang County, Guizhou. In May this year, the Liberia Social Union became the first African team to play in Rongjiang County. "This grassroots football event has forged a strong friendship between Africa and Rongjiang County," Siyabonga C. Cwele said, emphasizing how the gathering where people sang and danced together added more fun to competitive football games while promoting local cuisine and culture to attract tourists.

"The 'Village Super League' has opened our eyes and provided us with more opportunities to meet with international players and experience foreign cultures," said 19-year-old Lu Jinfu, a player from Guizhou's local "Village Super League" football team. Thanks to the "Village Super League," he traveled to France, where he interacted with players from different communities and received professional training. "The 'Village Super League' offers not just a football field but also a stage that showcases the confidence of football players from Rongjiang County," Lu Jinfu added.

The "Discover China Cultural Tour" of Guizhou for Diplomats in China is a new brand activity launched by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2021, and this year's Guizhou Village Super League marked the second time the event has been held in Guizhou. Recently, seven ambassadors and 24 diplomats from 15 countries including Argentina, Dominica, Croatia, South Africa, Colombia, Grenada, Morocco, Mexico, Peru, and Cuba visited Guiyang's Jiaxiu Pavillion and the internet-popular Qingyun Market. They explored the Dong villages in Rongjiang County, enjoyed the local scenery and ethnic culture, and experienced the customs of Chinese rural life through the "Village Super League."

During the National Day holiday in 2024, the stadium for the "Village Super League" in Rongjiang County will welcome several international teams including ZTE Red Magic Malaysia, Sao Paulo Gaucho from Brazil, and the Australian Sports Association International Football Team, which will compete against teams from various Chinese provincial-level administrative regions such as Guizhou, Chongqing, Yunnan, and Hunan.

In 2023, Xu Bo, Deputy Secretary of the Rongjiang County Party Committee and County Mayor, proposed a three-step strategy for the "Village Super League," aiming to transform the event from a local one in Rongjiang into one that attracts people from across China, and eventually into one that draws fans from around the world.

Guizhou's Rongjiang County is using football as a medium to continually promote interactions and exchanges among people from around the globe.