STORY: Football enthusiasm in NE China border city
DATELINE: June 29, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:12
LOCATION: YANJI, China
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of children playing football
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SUN XINRUI, Student, Jiangong Primary School in Yanji
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): CHENG HAITAO, Yanji resident
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): PIAO JUN, Yanji Sports Bureau

STORYLINE:

Yanji City in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of northeast China's Jilin Province was one of the earliest regions in China to promote football.

With a population of only 680,000, the small border city has a large number of football players and fans.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SUN XINRUI, Student, Jiangong Primary School in Yanji
"Football can help me release the pressure from my study. I've been learning to play football for six years. My father also loves to play football and watch football games."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): CHENG HAITAO, Yanji resident
"Playing football can help the children temper their willpower, improve the spirit of solidarity, and build their body."

Piao Jun, a Yanji Sports Bureau staff member, told Xinhua that the average number of spectators at this year's home games was over 16,000 per game.

The figure is comparable to teams in the Chinese Super League.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): PIAO JUN, Yanji Sports Bureau
"From pupils to the elderly, people of all ages love football and love watching football games. There's a football culture, which brings Yanji the fame of a 'hometown of football.'"

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yanji, China.
(XHTV)