Athletes compete in Dongxing. [Photo by Zhai Liqiang/China News Service]

Eight football teams from China and Vietnam will engage in a month-long battle for the championship title in the Dongxing International Cross-border Football Super League, which kicked off in Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Dec 2.

Dongxing and Mong Cai, Vietnam, are separated by just a river, and their football exchanges can be traced back to the 1950s and 60s. In 1942, Dongxing established its first football field, and amateur teams from both sides frequently visited each other, exchanging skills and promoting friendship.

In 1993, with the official support of both sides, an annual China-Vietnam Lantern Festival Football Friendship Match was organized each Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the first lunar month.