The 2025 Fujian-Taiwan University Student Football Exchange Camp officially commenced on September 2 at Fujian Normal University’s Qishan Campus. Guided by the Fujian Provincial Department of Education and co-organized by the Fujian Provincial Student Sports Federation (Preparatory) and the Fujian School Football Research and Development Center, the event is hosted by Fujian Normal University. More than 100 university student-athletes from Fujian and Taiwan gathered in Fuzhou for a five-day journey of football and cultural exchange.
The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests including Liu Qunying, former Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial People’s Congress and Director of the Provincial Committee for Caring for the Next Generation; Ye Shen, Secretary of the Fujian Education Working Committee and Director of the Provincial Department of Education; Huang Jianshun, Member of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Education; Dong Jinsong, Deputy Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Deputy Director of the Provincial Sports Bureau; Yang Guohe, Vice Chairman of Fujian Media Group; Zheng Jiajian, President of Fujian Normal University; Chen Xiaohong, Deputy Secretary of the FNU Party Committee; as well as representatives from Taiwan. The event began with an opening friendly match, following a welcome speech by President Zheng Jiajian.
The first match—a “Strait Derby” between the Taoyuan International Football Team and the Fujian Normal University team—set a spirited tone for the camp. On the field, players showcased skillful play and strong teamwork, balancing competitive drive with camaraderie. Off the field, teachers and students from both sides cheered, chatted, and shared training experiences in a lively yet warm atmosphere. Five referees from Taiwan were also invited to officiate, further enhancing cross-strait exchange and injecting fresh energy into campus football.
Under the theme “Together in Heart, Together in Dream Across the Strait,” the camp aims to build bridges of friendship and mutual understanding between young people from Fujian and Taiwan through football and cultural activities. During the five-day program, university teams from Taipei and Taoyuan will play six friendly matches against teams from Xiamen University and Fujian Normal University.
In addition to the matches, the camp has arranged a variety of cultural and educational activities. Participants will visit Fuzhou landmarks such as the Foochow Arsenal Museum, Sanfang Qixiang Historical and Cultural Block, and the Lin Zexu Memorial Hall. They will also take part in intangible cultural heritage experiences, including Shoushan stone seal carving, deepening their understanding of the shared cultural roots of Fujian and Taiwan.
Translated by Yan Xiaoqi / Reviewed by Lin Bin