The 2018 Xiamen International Youth Football invitational takes place from July 28 to Aug 1. [Photo/xmnn.cn]
Eight teenage football teams from four countries are taking part in a football tournament in Xiamen, Fujian province from July 28 to Aug 1.
Of the 8 teams, three are from the Chinese city's sister cities: Trier, Germany, Sunshine Coast, Australia and Busan, South Korea.
The tournament host Xiamen No 2 Middle School met with the team from China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region in the opening match. The Xiamen school got off to a fantastic start, winning by 5 goals to 1.
The German team lost to the Qingdao No 66 High School 2-0 in another game, the Australian team drew 1-1 with Shenzhen Cuiyuan Middle School and the team from South Korean won 2-0 over the Affiliated High School of Shanxi University on July 28.
After the invitational, the three foreign football teams will be invited to visit Gulangyu Island, which was included as a World Cultural Heritage site last year, and watch local puppet shows to experience traditional Chinese culture.
It was the second time that Xiamen has hosted the invitational and it was the team from Sunshine Coast that crowned the first tournament held in 2016.
The Xiamen International Youth Football invitational is being held by Xiamen's Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, the Xiamen Friendship Association and the Education Bureau of Xiamen in the hope of promoting educational cooperation and exchanges with international sister cities.
China announced and implemented on May 15 a policy allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline.
China and Georgia are set to waive visa requirements for travelers starting May 28.
