2015年CRI Football Fan Xi Visits Man City FC

 

President Xi Jinping was welcomed at the Man City Football Club by Prime Minister David Cameron and club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak. 

They toured the Manchester City Football Academy and enjoyed an exhibition at the National Football Museum, which houses artifacts including a ball used in the final of the inaugural¹ 1930 World Cup. 

Xi Jinping and Cameron have also posed for a "selfie" picture with Sergio Aguero, Man City's Argentinian star striker.

A highlight of the visit was the inclusion into the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame of former Man City player Sun Jihai, the first Chinese player to score in the Premier² League.

President Xi is a well-known football fan.

In 2011, he outlined his three wishes for China's football program -- to qualify for another World Cup, to host a World Cup, and to win a World Cup championship.

While China has yet to achieve those goals, a profound reform program is underway in the country.

The President says China has much more to learn from Britain, which he describes as the headwater of modern football.

Interim³ mayor of Greater Manchester Tony Lloyd says he believes football cooperation between the two countries will be a win-win.

"Given the development of China football strategy which President Xi particularly oversaw⁴ and his personal ambition of for the Chinese National Team and the development of China as a strong football nation with enthusiasms from the grass roots to the professional level, it is a very exciting time. And what better partner could you choose than the UK? The English Premier League is the most successful league in the country and there's a lot we can learn from each other. So I think it's a win-win. "

Chinese overseas student Liu Yang, who has come to welcome the Chinese President as part of Manchester's local Chinese community, says that building a football-loving culture is a crucial part of the sports' development.

"The UK has much experience and skills that we could learn from. I know President Xi is a football fan himself, I hope he can share his enthusiasm about football with the general public. If the leader of a nation can be a football fan, why can't the people be football fans too? I believe that as long as there is aspiration⁵, there will be progress, no matter if it's in professional football or just a love of the sport."

Xi Jinping left Britain on Friday, concluding his five-day state visit to the UK, the first in a decade by a Chinese head of state.

For CRI, I'm Qi Zhi.

1 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

2 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

3 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

4 oversaw   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去式 )

参考例句：

• He will go down as the president who oversaw two historic transitions. 他将作为见证了巴西两次历史性转变的总统，安然引退。 来自互联网
• Dixon oversaw the project as creative director of Design Research Studio. 狄克逊监督项目的创意总监设计研究工作室。 来自互联网

5 aspiration   

n.志向，志趣抱负；渴望；(语)送气音；吸出

参考例句：

• Man's aspiration should be as lofty as the stars.人的志气应当象天上的星星那么高。
• Young Addison had a strong aspiration to be an inventor.年幼的爱迪生渴望成为一名发明家。