One day after the signing of a Sino-German football partnership agreement, representatives of both countries’ clubs and associations met for discussions. The meeting, which was attended by China’s vice-premier Liu Yandong, took place in the premises of German football club 1. FC Köln and revolved around issues such as the training of players, coaches and referees, and collaboration at club level.

Front row (from left to right):

DFL president Dr. Reinhard Rauball opened the meeting together with the president of 1. FC Köln, Werner Spinner. Among others the meeting was attended by DFL CEO Christian Seifert, DFL 1st vice president Peter Peters, DFB secretary-general Dr. Friedrich Curtius, DFB member of the presidential board Osnabrugge, Bundesliga club FC Bayern München board member Jörg Wacker, Borussia Dortmund director marketing Carsten Cramer, FC Schalke 04 board member Alexander Jobst and 1. FC Köln managing director Alexander Wehrle. The Chinese partners were represented by Hao Ping, vice-minister of education, Cai Zhenhua, who is vice-minister of the State General Administration of Sports and president of the Chinese Football Association, and a number of officials from different football clubs.

The partnership, which is initially set to run for five years, comprises a comprehensive agreement at government level and separate agreements between Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB) and Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL), on the one hand, and the Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Football Association, on the other. The goal of the partnership is to achieve an ongoing mutual exchange of ideas and experience between the two countries. Comprehensive measures are to be taken to support the development of football in China.

The agreement is the outcome of earlier talks between German chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and China’s president Xi Jinping.

Feng Haiyang, chinesischer Generalkonsul in Düsseldorf , Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Haixing, Chinese Deputy Director of State General Administration of Sports and CFA President Cai Zhenhua, Chinese Ambassador to Germany Shi Mingde, Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang, Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong, DFL president Dr. Reinhard Rauball, DFL CEO Christian Seifert, president 1. FC Köln Werner Spinner, managing director 1. FC Köln Alexander Wehrle, CFA General Secretary Zhang Jian.

Back row (from left to right):

Chinese Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping, former national team and Bundesliga player Shao Jiayi, Chinese Deputy Secretary-General Jiang Xiaojuan, former national team and Bundesliga player Yang Chen, CSL president Ma Chengquan, DFB General Secretary Dr. Friedrich Curtius, DFL Vice-president Peter Peters, board member FC Bayern München Jörg Wacker, director sales, marketing and business development Borussia Dortmund Carsten Cramer, DFB member of the presidential board Dr. Stephan Osnabrugge and board member of FC Schalke 04 Alexander Jobst.