Teenage soccer, hockey players meet special fan

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R, front) meets with Chinese and Czech young athletes of football and ice hockey after he held talks with Czech President Milos Zeman in Prague, the Czech Republic, March 29, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

"During the visit, young soccer players (from both nations) will also compete," said Jiri Kejval, president of the Czech Olympic Committee. "Sport is about friendship. This is preparation, and we know that China will not only organize a Winter Olympics, but also will participate in it."

He said his country is ready to help China catch up in the runup to the Games. China is currently 38th in world ice hockey rankings and will only be able to take part in the event in the 2022 Olympics if it reaches the top 18.

Kejval said he is confident his coaches are qualified to help China achieve this. In the 1950s, Czech coaches taught Russian players, and now the Russians are among the best in the world, he said.

"I'm 100 percent sure China can produce highly competitive hockey players, despite the fact that team sports are more difficult than individual sports," he said.

China has made tremendous progress in sports and event organization, Kejval added. "Now (the country) has started to shift to winter sports, which has brought a lot of opportunities for us to start cooperation."

However, he said, it is not only a case of China learning from the Czechs, but also the other way around.

"We can learn from China in volleyball, table tennis and other sports," he said.