Fostering China-Philippines Friendship Through Basketball: SOCMA Invites Manila Seven Sages Basketball Club To Compete in Fujian
Invited by SOCMA, Manila Seven Sages Basketball Club from the Philippines represents SOCMA in the 25th Anniversary International Basketball Tournament (40/50 age group) hosted by the Quanzhou Old Friends Basketball Club during October 17 to 22, 2024 in Quanzhou. The tournament featured a total of eight renowned basketball clubs from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Xiamen, Fujian.
The Manila Seven Sages Basketball Club from the Philippines, composed of basketball enthusiasts from various professions, enjoys a prestigious reputation in the Philippine amateur basketball community. The players who came to China to compete were outstanding athletes in the 40-50 age group of the club. During the intense three-day competition, the SOCMA team demonstrated excellent performance and won the championship in the 50 age group. The players displayed a spirit of hard work, unity, and friendship during the games, earning widespread praise from the audience.
Basketball has a strong mass base in both the Philippines and Fujian, China. SOCMA has deep roots with basketball, and the Minnan culture of "you must be willing to fight to win" aligns closely with the "passion, teamwork, and friendship" that the sport embodies. SOCMA encourages its employees to actively participate in sports activities such as basketball to enhance their morale and team
collaboration skills.
The image is from the first Philippine Asian Friendship Cup Basketball Tournament sponsored by SOCMA in 2017.
As early as 2017, SOCMA sponsored the first Philippine Asian Friendship Cup Basketball Tournament, attracting over a dozen teams from China, Chinese Taipei, Macau, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The event received significant support from the local Philippine government and had a positive impact in the region, effectively enhancing the visibility and influence of the SOCMA brand in Southeast Asia.
The day after the tournament concluded, SOCMA invited the club members for a factory tour and exchange. Mr. Guo Junyang, the Chairman of SOCMA, and Mr. Guo Junfeng, the General Manager, warmly welcomed the old friends. The team leader of the Manila Seven Sages Basketball Club, known affectionately as "Brother Seven," presented the SOCMA leadership with gifts including a basketball and jerseys signed by all team members, expressing their sincere gratitude for SOCMA's sponsorship of their trip to China. During the factory tour, the players enthusiastically took photos with SOCMA's 50-ton heavy-duty forklifts and other mechanical equipment. The passion and vitality of basketball perfectly merged with the robustness and agility of heavy machinery, highlighting the complementary strengths of both.
This tournament was not only a celebration of athletic competition but also a feast of cultural exchange. The interactions between the SOCMA team and players from various Chinese teams enhanced mutual understanding and friendship, demonstrating the power of sportsmanship that transcends national boundaries. SOCMA will continue to support basketball and promote sports cultural exchanges, contributing to the friendship between China and the Philippines. Through their passion for basketball, SOCMA is composing a song of friendship between the peoples of China and the Philippines.