SHENZHEN, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) executive director Michael Schmidt has hailed the launch of Chinese Professional Baseball (CPB), saying the new league highlights China's growing importance to the future of baseball and softball.
Schmidt visited Shenzhen on Wednesday during the opening week of the 2026 CPB Spring Games and threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Shenzhen Bluesox and the Shanghai Dragons. The Spring Games began on January 1, with the Bluesox defeating the Fuzhou Sea Knights 8-1 in the competition's inaugural game.
"We truly believe China represents a very important future market for baseball and softball," Schmidt said. "This clearly shows the strong interest from both the international community and WBSC in developing baseball and softball in China."
The launch of CPB is believed to be a key step toward the marketization and commercialization of Chinese baseball. Four founding clubs - the Shanghai Dragons, Xiamen Dolphins, Shenzhen Bluesox and Fuzhou Sea Knights - are competing in the four-week Spring League, with Changsha Want-Want Happy set to join the Summer League. Organizers plan to transition to a full home-and-away professional league by 2028.
"It is the newest professional baseball league in the world, so of course it is still in its early stage - I would call it the 'baby phase,'" Schmidt said. "However, with a second phase already planned for the summer, development is happening very fast."
"We clearly see huge potential," he added.
Schmidt noted that China has increasingly hosted international baseball and softball events, including the U23 Baseball World Cup in 2024, in which China finished in a historic fourth place. The 2027 WBSC Premier12 Qualifier will be staged in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province in 2026.
"Our long-term goal is to bring more and more WBSC events to China and make baseball and softball even more popular here," he said.
Beyond competition, Schmidt emphasized the broader role of baseball and softball in connecting cultures. "Sport brings people together in a very positive way," he said. "It shows how people from different cultures and backgrounds can interact peacefully, respectfully and constructively." ■
