Shui Qingxia, a deputy to the National People's Congress and head coach of China's women's soccer team, meets the press at the delegates' passage interviews during the ongoing two sessions in Beijing on Sunday. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn]

A witness of the fighting spirit of China's women's soccer team, head coach Shui Qingxia vows to continue building and promoting the inspirational mental power for greater performance.

Shui, a member of China's silver-winning women's squad at the 1996 Olympics, paid tribute to the spirit of perseverance and resilience that has helped build Team China into a formidable force in the women's game as she attended the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress on Sunday.

"Since I began soccer training at 17, I've been with the game for 40 years. Every time we struggled against tough challenges, the spirit of Chinese women's soccer took over and carried us through," said Shui, who is making her debut as a delegate to the annual session of NPC, the top legislature.

"Through years of impressive performances on the field, Chinese women's soccer team had earned its reputation as an indomitable, hard-working unit that fights as a team and never give up, known as the 'Steel Roses' among fans."

Citing her own experiences as a player and now a coach, Shui took pride from the traditional mental strength of the women's program, which has staged a series of major comeback victories at high-profile international events.

In the semifinal clash against world power Brazil at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Shui and her teammates regrouped with confidence in the second half after conceding a goal in the first half to outplay the Brazilian side with a 3-2 victory and secured the country's first-ever Olympic final berth in history.

Over 20 years later, Shui led the national team to another inspirational win coming from behind after she coached the current squad to beat South Korea 3-2 after falling behind 0-2 in the first half in the final of the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup to claim the continental title again 16 years after its last win.

"I think we have this kind of spiritual power inherited and reflected across all walks of life and this tradition will only push us better build our country into a stronger nation," said Shui, a 56-year-old native of Shanghai.

"For us, we will continue carrying on the spirit to keep pushing our team forward and always try to do our country proud whenever we could," said Shui, who will coach Team China to compete at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup jointly held in New Zealand and Australia from July 20-Aug 20.