Bayern opens new football school in east China

NANJING - Bayern Munich have launched a new football school in the eastern Chinese city of Taicang, the club announced on Tuesday.

The record German champions said that the long-term partnership with the local government includes a regular exchange of experiences between Munich and Taicang, as well as a permanent presence of FC Bayern youth coaches.

"Chinese football has enormous potential, which we also want to promote with this football school. FC Bayern has been supporting youth development in China for several years, which led among other things to the signing of goalkeeper Liu Shaoziyang," said FC Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn.

"We now want to continue on this path with the football school in Taicang and help to discover and develop new talents," he added.

According to Bayern Munich, it has already partnered with organizations in China's Qingdao, Shenzhen and Taiyuan, and aims to make the Bayern brand even better known throughout China.

Taicang is a county-level city around 50 kilometers from the center of Shanghai. It has been dubbed the "German City" in China, as the city of just under one million is home to more than 450 German companies.

"Taicang attaches great importance to cooperation with Germany across many fields. With the FC Bayern Football School Taicang and the showroom in the center of the 'German City', the sporting and cultural exchange will be strengthened even further, creating a win-win situation for both sides," said Wang Xiangyuan, Communist Party chief of Taicang.