Feature: French youths hail Village Super League, cultural exchanges with China

GUIYANG, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Pierre Expert, a 22-year-old French national, vividly recalls his enriching visit to Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, the birthplace of the Village Super League ("Cun Chao"). After spending over two months back in France, the memories of his trip to Rongjiang remain fresh.

In February 2024, Expert was part of a 34-member French youth delegation organized by the Secours Populaire Francais, a volunteer association in Paris. This group, primarily composed of the association's staff and volunteers, embarked on a two-day cultural and sports tour of Rongjiang.

Upon returning to France, the group organized an exhibition at the association's headquarters in Paris, showcasing photographs of Rongjiang's ethnic villages, a friendly football match between French and Chinese youths, and cultural and creative products from the Village Super League, including phone covers and dolls. The exhibition, which commenced on April 26, has attracted numerous visitors and is set to be held in other French cities including Lille, Poitiers, and Grenoble.

"The exhibition in Paris started from April 26 and has attracted a stream of French people. It would also be held in other cities including Lille, Poitiers and Grenoble," said Expert.

"This exhibition was carefully organized and aimed at helping more French people understand Chinese culture and enhance our friendship through cultural exchanges," he added.

During his six-month stint as an international exchange student at Beihang University in Beijing, Expert visited Rongjiang, which he describes as his most memorable experience in China. "I met honest and kind minority people in Rongjiang and was impressed by their rich and colorful ethnic cultures," he reminisced.

The French delegation's first stop in Rongjiang was Dali Dong Village, known for its 240-year history and unique stilt-style wooden houses. The visitors enjoyed local traditions such as drinking homemade rice wine and singing with villagers under the Dong drum tower.

"It's amazing," commented Florent Madrolle, a translator and first-time visitor to China, adding that the wooden houses were very distinctive, and it was an eye-opener that the villagers were so good at singing and dancing.

"Before I only knew China through media, and I did not expect that Chinese villages were so beautiful and had so rich cultures and colorful life," he said.

Expert shared that since returning to France, he and his peers frequently reminisce about their time in Dong Village and recommend it to visitors at the association's headquarters.

"Of course, what made us most excited was the football match," Expert said. The match, held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, ended with Guizhou's Village Super League team defeating the French Youth Team 5-4.

Cultural performances and exchanges during the event enhanced the celebration. "This was a result of the mutual efforts of football enthusiasts from the two countries," said Dong Yongheng, captain of the Guizhou team.

Reflecting on the atmosphere, Expert shared, "Looking back now, I could still clearly remember the scenes that the crowd kept cheering for both teams. The atmosphere was great," capturing the vibrant spirit of the match.

Hamza Belbachir, Expert's teammate who scored a hat-trick, expressed his awe at playing before a large audience, marking a memorable experience.

With Paris set to host the upcoming Olympic Games, Expert hopes for continued cultural exchanges. "Paris would soon host the Olympic Games, and I hope Rongjiang citizens could come to Paris to watch the games and experience French culture," he noted, emphasizing the potential for deeper Franco-Chinese friendship.

As the Village Super League gains international recognition, plans are underway for Rongjiang teams to participate in global events, fostering international friendships through football.

Expert, who is deeply interested in Chinese culture, is preparing to study at Tongji University in Shanghai later this year. He mentioned, "I'm trying to learn Chinese language and Chinese culture, and I hope to work and live in China in the future and contribute to the friendship between China and France."