Grassroots football league in China sparks interest of former Belgian PM

The unexpected popularity of an amateur provincial-level football league in China has sparked the interest of former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme, also a former official for the Union of European Football Association (UEFA), who set out to find out more about about this phenomenon and experience a match-day atmosphere for himself.

Formally known as the Jiangsu Football City League but widely referred to as the "Suchao" -- a play on words of the 'Super League' of east China's Jiangsu Province -- the regional competition among 13 cities across Jiangsu has ignited the passion of fans far and wide since its launch in May this year.

What began as a local grassroots initiative has blossomed into an unexpected cultural movement, drawing large crowds, extensive media coverage, and a level of emotional investment rarely seen outside the professional leagues.

To uncover the remarkable success of the "Suchao", Leterme returned to Suzhou City two decades after his last official visit, though this time in the capacity of a curious football fan and not a government official.

He witnessed firsthand the electric atmosphere of a fiercely contested match between Suzhou and their rivals Changzhou. Though neither team were in contention for the league title, the stakes were high, as players played for the pride of their city and to honor their local community, while feeding off the raw passion of thousands of supporters filling the stands.

Leterme himself engaged with the fans in the stadium, who he said were already cheering loudly in their seats one hour ahead of kick-off.

The match itself ended in dramatic fashion as a last-minute winner from Bian Yuhao saw Suzhou triumph 3-2, a finish Leterme described as being as thrilling as the end of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

Deeply impressed by the spectacle, Leterme later visited the Taihu football training center, where he met Wang Jianjun, head of Suzhou's football management center, and learned how grassroots leagues like "Suchao" serve as vital talent pipelines -- discovering, nurturing, and showcasing players who might otherwise remain unseen, offering a credible pathway for the brightest prospects to pursue a dream with professional clubs.

"Chinese football used to face challenges, but 'Suchao' has proven to be a very successful example. 'Suchao' has boosted intercity exchanges and industries like tourism and catering, generating a real economic impact. Looking ahead, this may point to a promising direction for reform. 'Suchao' provides a platform for talented players to shine. Those who perform well can move on to professional clubs," said Wang.

Leterme, who was the former chief investigator of UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB), keenly observed that this nationwide football boom is underpinned by a dramatic transformation in infrastructure, which comes as part of China's push to promote sports and fitness nationwide.

Official data shows that over the past decades, China's total sports venue space has more than quadrupled, while per capita sports space has nearly tripled, creating a fertile ground for grassroots football growth.

Grassroots football league in China sparks interest of former Belgian PM

All the people injured in the fireworks plant explosion on Monday in central China's Hunan Province have been sent to local hospitals for treatment, according to authorities.

The accident has left 26 people dead and 61 others injured, according to officials speaking at a press conference on Tuesday.

The explosion occurred on Monday afternoon at the plant of Huasheng fireworks manufacturing and display company in Liuyang, a county-level city in Changsha, the capital city of Hunan.

"When I arrived at the scene, I saw everything was flattened. Everything. Look at me. I'm all covered by mud and sand stirred up by the explosion," said local villager Wu Yuliang.

Following the explosion, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to locate those still unaccounted for and to treat the injured. The person in charge of the company where the accident occurred has been detained by police.

More than 480 rescuers, organized into five teams, have been deployed, along with three rescue robots to support operations.

At Tuesday's press conference, local officials said the situation remains challenging, with difficulties in controlling the fire, extinguishing the blaze, and carrying out search and rescue operations.

"A large quantity of explosives stored in the warehouse area could not be moved immediately, posing a direct threat to the safety of our rescue personnel. Second, the accident site was chaotic since basically all buildings' walls, beams, columns, and roofs have collapsed, creating extensive rubble. People were buried under the debris, passageways were blocked, and our rescue efforts were severely hampered," said Ding Weiming, Party secretary and political commissar of Changsha's fire and rescue team.

The injured have been rushed to two hospitals for emergency treatment after the explosion, with most suffering from bone injuries.

A medical task force of leading experts in burns, intensive care, and trauma surgery has been assembled.

The People's Hospital of Liuyang received 25 of the injured people.

"She has fractures in both legs. The doctor won't allow her to walk or get out of bed. She can only use a wheelchair to get around. I have to carry her to the bathroom," one victim's son told reporters at his mother’s bedside in hospital.

All patients are reported to be in stable condition, though doctors say they will require further observation for more than 24 hours.

"For now, we don't recommend that they rush to be discharged, as there is still some psychological trauma and stress that we need to monitor," said Ding Shengqiang, head of the hospital's medical department.

After all of the city's fireworks enterprises were shut down on Monday night, local officials said a large-scale safety inspection will be carried out to address regulatory gaps and strengthen overall safety standards.

All injured hospitalized after central China fireworks plant explosion