Boys rest after training in Hezhou village, Dongxing of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo by Liu Yi / For China Daily]

DONGXING, Guangxi - They are not national team members. They are not even at the provincial level. However, Tao Zhihai and Thoong Coong Hung always cross paths at "international tournaments".

Tao is a Chinese living in Dongxing in China's Southeast Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region while Thoong resides in Mong Cai in the north of Vietnam. On weekends, the soccer lovers cross a 100m bridge to enter the neighboring country to play against their international opponents.

There is even an annual event between the two sides during the Lantern Festival that started in 1993 in Dongxing and attracts thousands of fans.

"It is really fun to play against the Chinese. It makes the players more excited," said Thoong, a former captain of the Vietnam team at the annual event.

"We just play for fun, but you still feel honored to represent your country and the victories make us very proud," said the 40-year-old, who manages a company that trades with China.

The history of cross-border soccer matches in the region dates back to early 20th century, according to the local sports bureau.

"It is very convenient for the people to visit the other side and do some small business. Meanwhile, since both people love soccer very much, it is really natural for them to play together," said Xie Yunfeng of the Dongxing Sports Administration department.

"Of course, they both play for national glory to a certain degree. But it is more about fun and friendship. No matter how the two countries are doing politically, they always like playing with each other."

Like Thoong, Tao, 27, is also involved in trading. Sometimes he encounters Vietnamese business partners on the pitch.

"It feels great," he said. "The two regions are so close that we can even share cell phone signals. Sometimes we just call our friends in Vietnam and within half an hour we are meeting on the pitch or in a restaurant."

Nghiem Quang Anh agrees. He majored in Chinese at the Hanoi Foreign Language University and started to play against the Chinese in 2000.

"I've got a lot of friends in China. I always come over on the weekend. Sometimes for the match, sometimes just to drink with friends. Some even don't know that I'm Vietnamese because my Chinese is not bad," Nghiem, a civil servant, said.

"The people living near the border always have bonds with each other. It could be family, work or sports. But soccer is always the most interesting part for us."

Besides the match during the Lantern Festival, there is a local amateur league in Dongxing, which has a Vietnamese team. Half of the other teams also have Vietnamese players.

The Vietnamese team, sponsored by a Chinese company, has won all three championships since the league was launched in 2008.

"It is not pleasing, of course. We want to win the title on home soil," said Tao. "But they are really strong. On the national level, we are better. But in this region, the Vietnamese are really crazy for soccer and we have to work hard to catch up."

The gap has already motivated the local government to invest more in the sport. Hecun village in Dongxing has just built a new pitch for children and has founded a club that has attracted 26 boys and 12 girls.

"Vietnam is better than us now. But we are training hard and we are growing very fast," said Huang Jinsheng, 12. "When I'm grown up. I will play against them and I believe we will win.

"And I won't only play here. I want to play for the national team and play on the world stage."

China Daily