Shenhua's fiercest and oldest rivalry is against Beijing Guoan and is often referred to as the China Derby. The rivalry with Beijing is viewed as a manifestation of the rivalry that exists between the two most important cities in the country, as one is the center of government while the other is the financial centre of modern commerce within China. Each club had an extensive history including successful periods. However, they rarely competed directly for trophies until the 1997 league season. With Shenhua having won the 1995 league title and Beijing having won the 1996 Chinese FA Cup both teams looked as if they had the pedigree to win trophies that season and on 20 July 1997 in a vital league game, Beijing thrashed Shenhua 9–1 at the Workers Stadium in Beijing. It would be Beijing's largest victory and Shenhua's greatest defeat ever recorded. Soon after that event both teams would meet again in the 1997 FA Cup final, which saw Beijing win the cup.