PRAGUE, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The two-day Prague Dragon Boat Festival kicked off on Saturday, bringing together players from countries such as the Czech Republic, China, and Germany to race on the Vltava River in Prague.

The 23-member Chinese team from Pujiang County, eastern China's Zhejiang Province, took part in the event for the first time.

Petr Klima, President of the Czech Dragon Boat Association and the organizer of the event, told Xinhua that the festival, now in its 27th edition, is "the oldest dragon boat race in the Czech Republic."

"In the Year of the Dragon, we have a very special guest, this is the Chinese team. We are so happy to have them here," he said, noting that dragon boating is a Chinese sport and tradition.

Chinese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Feng Biao said this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Czech Republic. The dragon boat race inspires participants to work together and cooperate.

Feng said China is willing to "paddle together" with friends from all walks of life in the Czech Republic, and the China-Czech relations can ride the waves like a dragon boat and keep moving forward.

"I am very glad to be here and participate in such a great water festival, which comes to us from China today, once again showing that sports can unite worlds," Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda told Xinhua.

Saturday morning witnessed charity races for amateur and corporate rowers, and in the afternoon, the competitions of large boats on 200m and 2km tracks were held.

"I am very satisfied with my team's performance because they have demonstrated their skills and style. It is a great honor to row dragon boats and have this opportunity to compete abroad," said Chinese team head Chen Yunsheng.

During the event, Czech youth performed dragon dance, while Chinese youth drummed to cheer on the participants. Chinese residents in Prague also set up a "Chinese corner," showcasing Chinese cuisine, calligraphy, and handicrafts.

In addition, as the birthplace of the early Neolithic Shangshan culture in China, Pujiang County held a photo exhibition showcasing the Shangshan culture at the event. Enditem

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