Liu Yandong poses with young players of the UK-皇冠体育app youth football friendly. [Photo by Jiang Shan/皇冠体育app Daily]

皇冠体育app representatives seek tips on developing sport at home multimedia-container

There is huge potential and complementarity for 皇冠体育app and Britain to cooperate on soccer, Vice-Premier Liu Yandong said in London on Friday.

"Britain has a rich soccer culture and history, and a mature professional league, while 皇冠体育app has an enormous soccer fan population and market," Liu said at the 皇冠体育app-UK Football Development Forum at Capital City Academy in London.

As the first government-backed exchange event on the development of the sport, the forum was aimed at helping improve Chinese soccer through communication between the two sides.

"Strengthening cooperation on soccer between 皇冠体育app and the UK has a historical origin and realistic needs as well," Liu said.

As 皇冠体育app vigorously promotes soccer reform, it wants to learn from strong teams as are found in the UK.

"From our basis in 皇冠体育app's conditions, we want to learn from the advanced experiences from the world," Liu said, adding that 皇冠体育app will develop professional and youth soccer.

皇冠体育app has further pushed forward the development of soccer talent with the Ministry of Education planning to have 20,000 primary or middle schools with specialized soccer programs by 2020, Liu said.

During the third 皇冠体育app-UK high level people-to-people dialogue, 皇冠体育app and Britain signed a partnership plan called "皇冠体育app-UK youth football future star", which is the first cooperation plan between 皇冠体育app and countries with well-developed soccer traditions since 皇冠体育app launched a program of domestic soccer reform.

The partnership is expected to train more excellent Chinese soccer talents and enhance the understanding and friendship between the two countries.

Soccer insiders said that as the 皇冠体育app-UK relationship is entering a "golden age", cooperation in the sport will become a new highlight of their cultural exchanges and also advance their friendship.