Sharks confirm invitation from Philippines
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, May 21, 2012
Yao Ming's Shanghai Sharks confirmed yesterday that it had received an official invitation from the Philippines Basketball Association to play a friendly game in Manila next month.
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Yao Ming watching Shanghai Sharks' game. |
The PBA has begun to promote the match, featuring a PBA All-star team, in the capital on June 28, but Sharks officials have not yet said if the game will be played, due to the current sensitive nature of the two countries' relationship.
The two countries have been locked in a standoff over Huangyan Island since April 10, when a Philippine warship harassed 12 Chinese fishing vessels that had sailed near the island to seek shelter from bad weather.
"Last Friday we received an official invitation to the game," Zhang Chi, a Sharks' spokesman, said. "We received the invitation earlier in March and have been in touch with them intermittently."
Zhang said that because of the sensitive situation, he could not release more details.
"It's not about our decision right now," Zhang said.
PBA officials indicated that the Philippine government was supportive of the game to improve the relationship between the two countries.
"A goodwill game is certainly one way of fostering better relations with the Chinese. It shows the multi-faceted relationship we have with China," wrote presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda in a text message to a Philippine television channel.
"Since the goodwill game is still in the planning stage, it is too early to comment, but we certainly welcome the basketball game as a gesture of goodwill between the two countries."
The PBA said it would pick a 16-man select to be coached by Tim Cone of B-Meg Llamados to play against the Sharks at the newly built SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Andy Qian, a vice manager of the Sharks, had earlier visited Manila to check on facilities there.
The Sharks, except for some players preparing for the London Olympics with China's men's team, are training in Shanghai and do not have any matches scheduled over the next month.
"It's a goodwill game held in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission. It aims to help strengthen the ties between the two countries," Chito Salud, PBA commissioner, told the Philippine media.
"We're heeding the president's call to help heal our relationship."
Richie Garcia, PSC chairman, said the invitation was a sign of the Philippines' "healthy" relationship with China.
A commission official said negotiations were under way for the Sharks to face the Philippines national team in an exhibition match on June 30 in Manila.
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