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Yuan Weimin
President, Chinese Football Association
Coming soon...

Just as the J.League and K-League have made an enormous positive influence on Japanese and Korean football, the establishment of the Chinese Professional Soccer League (CPSL) in 1994 has had great significance to Chinese football. The league developed a program based on the existing provincial teams. The stadia were packed to capacity for every match, and the sole topic of weekend conversations was about the C League. Backed by affluent corporate sponsors, the league attracted excellent players and coaches from abroad. Dalian Shide FC, Shenzhen Jianlibao, and Shandong能魯泰山 are among the clubs that contested in the top ranks of the AFC Champions League, and the Chinese clubs continue to develop their competitiveness. The Chinese players hone their skills in a first-rate environment, and they have shown considerable development both in their mental and technical skills. China PR has been gaining attention internationally, and with since the China Football Association lifted its ban of forbidding national team players to transfer abroad to foreign clubs, Chinese players have also found their way to Europe. Sun Jihai plays (Manchester City) and Du Wei (Glasgow Celtics) are among those who are having success on the Continent. In 2004, the CPSL evolved into the Chinese Super League, and continues to play a vital role as the nucleus of Chinese football.