CRI听力: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 inaugural 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 Premier 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.

Interim 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 oversaw 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 aspiration, 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.