CHANGSHA, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Athletes from nine Tongan sports teams will receive training in China in the next two years, an official with one of China's sports aid programs said on Friday.
"China Aid Project on Sports Technical Assistance to Tonga-2018" aims to improve the athletic performance of Tongan sports teams and strengthen people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, according to Pang Xiaofeng, the deputy general manager of China Sports International Co.Ltd.
Entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, China Sports International Co. Ltd will implement the aid program. Pang said the company will provide good conditions for Tongan athletes and coaches during their stay in China.
"I hope your athletic ability will be improved during the training. Meanwhile, you can make more contacts with Chinese friends to strengthen friendship between our two countries," Pang said at a welcoming ceremony in Yiyang in central China's Hunan Province on Friday.
According to Pang, from December 2018 to July 2020, about 100 Tongan athletes and coaches from nine sports teams will be trained in China during three sessions, each one lasting 60 days.
In addition to this, Chinese coaches in table tennis, badminton, swimming, weightlifting, tennis, volleyball and boxing will be sent to Tonga for one month. China will provide Tongan sports teams with necessary training equipments.
During the first training session, which is set to start in December, Tongan shuttlers, tennis players and swimmers will be training in Hunan Province. Boxers, archers and table tennis players will go to Yunnan Province and training bases in Sichuan Province will host Tongan volleyball players, weightlifters and track and field athletes.
