Prague, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The 27th Prague Dragon Boat Festival was held from 11 to 12 May, with teams from the Czech Republic, Germany, China and other countries battling dragon boats on the Vltava River in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.
Chinese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Feng Biao said in his speech at the event that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Czech Republic, which coincides with the Chinese lunar Year of the Dragon. China is willing to work with friends from all walks of life in the Czech Republic, and that China-Czech relations will continue to move forward like a dragon boat.
The organizer of the event, the president of the Czech Dragon Boat Association, Peter Klima, told reporters that the dragon boat race is a sport from China, which is not only a sport, but also represents traditional culture. The Prague Dragon Boat Festival is "the oldest dragon boat race in the Czech Republic", and it is very happy to welcome Chinese guests in the Chinese Lunar Year of the Dragon, and the Chinese dragon boat team is very competitive.
The competition includes large and small dragon boat 200m, 2000m Pro races, and charity races for businesses and amateurs. On the afternoon of the 11th, the Chinese dragon boat team participated in the mixed 200m and 2000m races and won the best Asian dragon boat team award.
Chen Yunsheng, captain of the Chinese dragon boat team, said that a total of 23 team members participated in the competition, and he was very satisfied with the performance of the team members. "We showed our level and style and we are very happy and honoured to have the opportunity to compete in Prague."
At the event, Czech teenagers performed a dragon dance, and Chinese teenagers played drums to cheer for the contestants. The local Chinese diaspora in Prague set up a "China Corner" on the site to showcase Chinese food, calligraphy and handicrafts. In addition, as the birthplace of Shangshan culture in the early Neolithic period of China, Pujiang County also held a photo exhibition of Shangshan culture at the event site.