Taiwan on Thursday became one of the few places to hold a boat race, thanks to no local transmissions of the coronavirus being reported on the island in over two months.
The pandemic has led to the cancellation of traditional dragon boat races in Hong Kong and mainland China.
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Boat crew members participate in a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
Crew leaders prepare to grab finish line flags during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
Dragon boat crew members cheer during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
Boat crew members cheer during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
A boat crew member holds a team flag during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
Crew members participate in a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
A member of the boat crews coos down during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
A member of the dragon boat crew cools down during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
Dragon boat crew members cheer after a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
In Taipei, around 80 teams gathered at the Dajia Riverside Park to compete under the scorching sun in the two-day race, which features boats festooned with decorative dragon imagery.
Boat crew members participate in a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
“You’re not worrying about somebody on the side (giving) you COVID-19 because everywhere you go, they check your temperature,” said Farrouck Ruiz, a 20 year-old Nicaraguan student who studies at Mingchuan University in Taipei and took part in the race.
He said that organizers invested a lot of time in the protocols to keep the coronavirus in check, including giving out hand sanitizers and ensuring that people wear masks.
Although the race went ahead in Taipei, supporters were not allowed to attend.
Crew leaders prepare to grab finish line flags during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
"Our team has been training for a whole year just for this race,” said Lydia Lee, who works in digital marketing. “But they do not allow supporters in, and we thought that takes out part of the fun.”
In China, Wang Jiequn, deputy head of the Personnel Department of the Beijing Committee of the ruling Communist Party, said all activities relating to the Dragon Boat Festival will be held online this year.
The Chinese capital has locked down parts of the city and imposed strict restrictions on travel as it grapples with a new outbreak of over 250 coronavirus infections.
Dragon boat crew members cheer during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
Several parks in Beijing have launched activities such as online games, quizzes and websites to allow visitors to learn more about the festival tradition. Other activities include online poetry recitals and courses on plants.
Apart from dragon boat races, Taipei is also holding a Gay Pride parade on Sunday.
Over 450 Pride events celebrating LGBT people across the world have been canceled due to the pandemic. Organizers say Sunday’s parade will be the world’s only during Pride month in June.
Boat crew members cheer during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
AP Business Writer Zen Soo in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
A boat crew member holds a team flag during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
Crew members participate in a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
A member of the boat crews coos down during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
A member of the dragon boat crew cools down during the traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
Dragon boat crew members cheer after a traditional Chinese dragon boat race in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, June 25, 2020. Dragon boat races are in remembrance of Chu Yuan, an ancient Chinese scholar-statesman, who drowned in 277 B.C. while denouncing government corruption. (AP PhotoChiang Ying-ying)
