People from home and abroad participate in a dragon boat race in Dachen town of Yiwu, Zhejiang province on May 30, to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. [Photo by Ma Zhongqin]

Yiwu's international business community played a central role in the city's Dragon Boat Festival celebrations on May 30, as several teams of foreigners competed alongside locals at a dragon boat race in Dachen town.

More than 300 people took part in the race, including 42 overseas residents. Most were international students and businesspeople who work at Yiwu's world-famous wholesale goods market.

Nearly 20 countries were represented in Dachen, and many of the competitors were taking part in their first Dragon Boat Festival.

"I have joined quite a few activities to celebrate traditional Chinese festivals like the Spring Festival, but this is the first time I've been involved in the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival," said an African student from Yiwu Industrial and Commercial College. "I am lucky enough to have the chance of experiencing the tradition closely."

The race not only helped build bridges between Yiwu's international residents and the local community, it also created new friendships among the team members, according to another participant from Egypt, who gave reporters his Chinese name Mu Xiaolong.

"The boat race requires the whole team’s active participation and cooperation," he said, adding that he felt proud and lucky to have taken part in the event.

The local teams were also enthusiastic about the foreigners' participation and inspired by the event. "We really enjoyed the competition," said a member of the Yidong team.

Wu Guilong, leader of the Yidong team, compared a dragon boat race to a running race to explain the importance of teamwork in rowing. "Rowing a boat is not an individual act, but requires the whole team's coordination," said Wu.

Wu shared that his team had given up almost all their spare time during the past month to practice for the race. "For me, the victory is that we can work together to compete with others," he said.

There were also lots of other festive activities going on all over Dachen on the day, such as classes teaching people how to make zongzi, a traditional snack with various kinds of fillings wrapped in reed leaves, as well as a photography competition.