A collaboration protocol between the Regional Tourism Department, Cagliari Calcio, and the County of Xiapu (China)

A collaboration protocol was signed today, Sunday, November 10, between the Regional Department of Tourism, Craftsmanship, and Commerce, Cagliari Calcio, and the Chinese County of Xiapu. The meeting took place in Cagliari, at the Regional Department of Tourism, Craftsmanship, and Commerce, in the presence of Councillor Franco Cuccureddu and Guo Wensheng, Representative of the People’s Government of Xiapu County, for an agreement aimed at enhancing tourism and social growth, and improving mutual relations between local authorities and their respective communities.

The initiative stems from an existing sports collaboration between Cagliari Calcio and the Chinese County of Xiapu, in the Fujian region, which has developed an extensive training program for young players and coaches in China. The goal is to promote the growth of football in the Xiapu area and foster cooperation between the two regions through economic, commercial, and tourism exchanges. In 2024, interactions with Cagliari Calcio have intensified, with a football training program that sees the staff of the Serie A Sardinian club working alongside local coaches in Xiapu schools. This initiative focuses on sharing training methodologies and plans to support the technical and physical development of young players in the area.

With this premise, and with the intention of continuing with the same guiding principles of the program, the Department of Tourism, Craftsmanship, and Commerce of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, also within the framework of the co-marketing programs active with Cagliari Calcio, has agreed to evaluate the great potential in terms of developing relationships. This is in the mutual interest of enhancing, particularly from a tourism perspective, the excellence of the respective territories.

Mr. Guo Wensheng led a delegation of local government representatives from the fields of tourism and sports. With their mission in Sardinia and the signing of the collaboration protocol, their goal was to strengthen relations with Sardinia, which were initiated through Cagliari Calcio, and lay the groundwork for potential collaborations in the tourism sector. This includes a focus on projects aimed at enhancing natural, scenic, cultural, and artistic attractions, as well as the preservation and promotion of local craftsmanship and related products. The plan also involves creating specific products and supporting them through targeted marketing actions.

STATEMENTS
“We strongly wanted, even on a holiday, to open the public offices of the Department to host the Chinese delegation led by Mr. Guo Wensheng and Cagliari Calcio, whom I thank for initiating this collaboration channel,” stated Councillor Cuccureddu. “Today, we are signing a memorandum of understanding, with the hope of translating it into numerous initiatives related to crucial issues for Sardinia. Practices for the sustainable management of tourist flows and the enhancement of the territory, with the goal of making it increasingly attractive, are some of the key points of this protocol that can lead us to grow together. China is a key partner when it comes to cultural, historical, and archaeological heritage. We are two lands with UNESCO-certified excellence as world heritage sites, and I believe that we can take concrete steps forward in this direction.”

“We are very happy to be here, and delighted that in some way our presence brought good luck for yesterday’s match, which we were fortunate enough to attend,” stated Mr. Guo Wensheng. “We hope that together we can further strengthen our relationships, not only from a social and sports perspective, but also in terms of tourism, with Cagliari Calcio and its XPLAY project. A heartfelt thank you to Sardinia for the warm welcome, and we look forward to returning the hospitality.”

Words from Cagliari Calcio’s General Manager, Stefano Melis:
“We would like to thank the Sardinia Region, the Department of Tourism, and Councillor Cuccureddu, along with Mr. Guo Wensheng and the Province of Xiapu, with whom our relationship began back in 2019 and has strengthened over time, now finding new momentum. We want to be trailblazers for a broader conversation. We started with a sports project, but we are convinced that it can serve as a starting point and a stimulus for a stronger connection and more synergistic work at even higher levels between Sardinia and China. Our program is a three-year initiative, focused on developing local football in Xiapu County through our coaches, increasing the number of athletes involved, the camps, and bringing Chinese athletes to the Island to enrich their experience and further implement the sports projects within this agreement.”

TOGETHER FOR CAGLIARI-MILAN
The Chinese delegation was hosted by Cagliari Calcio on Saturday, November 9, during the Cagliari-Milan match, a Serie A Enilive fixture that ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw. The rossoblù Club presented a personalized rossoblù jersey to Guo Wensheng, the Representative of the People’s Government of Xiapu County, as well as to other members of the delegation: Lu Wei, Ye Lijian, and Xue Kejun, officials from Xiapu County.

RECEIVED BY THE CITY OF CAGLIARI
Before the Cagliari-Milan match, Cagliari Calcio’s General Manager Stefano Melis, the Representative of the People’s Government of Xiapu County Guo Wensheng, and the rest of the delegation were hosted by the City of Cagliari at Palazzo Baccaredda, where they were welcomed by the President of the City Council, Marco Benucci.
“We are honored to be part of such an ambitious, prestigious project of great value for Cagliari and Sardinia from many perspectives,” explained Benucci. “Welcoming Mr. Guo and the entire delegation to the City of the Sun is a source of pride and inspiration for us. We had the opportunity to share the strengths of our city and learn about the objectives of the collaboration between Cagliari Calcio and Xiapu. We are convinced that there is great potential, and the City of Cagliari will certainly follow the next steps of the project with attention and active participation.”