In order to strengthen exchanges and co-operation between Macao Special Administrative Region and Sichuan Province in the area of sports, the Sports Bureau of Sichuan Province has organized a youth sports exchange group, a delegation of 36 members to participate in the “Sichuan-Macao Youth Sports Exchange Activities” from 15 to 19 April in Macao. During the event the delegates exchanged skills with the Macao young athletes in four sports – synchronized swimming, martial arts, table tennis and badminton.

Frequent Exchanges between Sichuan and Macao

“Sichuan-Macao Youth Sports Exchange Activities” was founded on the “Letter of Intent on Sichuan-Macao Sports Exchange and Co-operation” signed by Sichuan and Macao in 2009. Since the letter was signed, Sichuan and Macao have been doing sports exchange visits for a number of times. This year, the Sports Bureau of Sichuan Province organized an exchange group to visit Macao. The activities included exchange between youth from Sichuan and Macao through divided groups, mixed team events, and different types of physical training, which provided an opportunity for them to inspect and learn the practice modes and skills from each other, as well as to strengthen the friendship between athletes from the two places.

Macao Athletes Benefited Enormously

Macao badminton player Ao Fei Long told us frankly that he was benefited a lot from that exchange activity, especially from the rich accomplishment of Sichuan players and their stable net shot skill, which made him realize that there was still a lot of room for him to improve. Macao table tennis player Chao Chun Fai also praised the stable pitches of Sichuan players. He believed that it was resulted from active daily practice, and that the exchange activity gave him drive for training and practices for stamina and skill.

The support of the Sports Bureau of Sichuan Province and the cooperation of Macao associations of swimming, martial arts, table tennis and badminton played significant roles in the success of this activity. The sports departments in Sichuan and Macao will maintain a good cooperation relationship in the future with the spirit of collaboration and mutual learning to promote athletic exchange and cooperation between youths in the two places.