A friendly soccer match kicked off between China and Vietnam on Sunday in Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A friendly soccer match kicked off between China and Vietnam on Sunday in Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, to promote people-to-people exchanges and friendship between the two countries.

The annual event is usually held on Lantern Festival day, as it was again this year. It has become a tradition for the nearby neighbors across the border since 1993. It was suspended in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The game aimed at promoting friendship instead of competitiveness. This year, China's Dongxing team gained a 3-0 victory after 90 minutes of play. Players from Vietnam's Mong Cai team exchanged high-fives with their Chinese counterparts.

A friendly soccer match kicked off between China and Vietnam on Sunday in Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A friendly soccer match kicked off between China and Vietnam on Sunday in Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A friendly soccer match kicked off between China and Vietnam on Sunday in Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

People watch a friendly soccer match between China and Vietnam on Sunday in Dongxing, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]