In our globalized world, apparently disconnected events can hide common and surprisingly important traits. This was the case with Sunday's football match between Inter FC and Milan AC, and the upcoming 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
It was a special match, for Italy and China alike. For the first time in 109 years, the Milan derby - one of the most prestigious inter-city confrontations in global sports, as the two teams together have won more European Champions titles than all London teams combined - was played by two Chinese-owned sides. The motivations that led retail group Suning and real estate tycoon Li Yonghong to invest more than $ 1 billion into the clubs may differ, but they both expect soccer and sports more broadly to play an increasingly important role in the Chinese Dream and in the Belt and Road Initiative.
A soccer enthusiast himself, President Xi Jinping's grand vision sees China attaining national greatness in many different ways: a country where high value-added services, such as entertainment, contribute to economic growth and sustainable development, and which is capable of peacefully projecting its power and influence through success in sports and people-to-people exchanges. As the world's most popular pastime, European football is uniquely positioned to attract the interest of the Chinese government and businesses alike. The enthusiasm, the dedication and the vibrancy of sport can also be an instrument of connectivity along the new "Silk Road".