A men’s hockey team from China’s Guangdong province has arrived in Pakistan for a seven-match tour against leading departmental teams and domestic sides, opening a new opportunity to strengthen Pakistan-China sporting relations and promote people-to-people exchanges through one of the region’s traditional competitive sports.
The Chinese delegation has begun training at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium at Islamabad’s Sports Complex ahead of a tour that will take the players to Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Narowal and Gojra, officials said on Tuesday afternoon.
The visit is expected to provide a valuable platform for competitive interaction between Chinese and Pakistani players, allowing both sides to exchange technical experience, assess their playing standards and build closer sporting links.
The Guangdong team will face Mari Energies, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Customs, Pakistan Rangers, Pakistan’s Under-21 side and Pakistan Police during its stay. The fixtures will bring the visitors into contact with a cross-section of Pakistan’s departmental hockey structure, including established teams and emerging players.
Beyond the immediate competition, the tour reflects the wider role of sports in Pakistan-China relations, offering an avenue for cooperation that extends beyond government-to-government engagement and economic partnerships into direct interaction between athletes, coaches and sporting institutions.
