Fujian boosts dragon boat tradition with cultural tourism initiative, creative products

In Fuzhou City, capital of east China's Fujian Province, dragon boat racing is not only a time-honored tradition during the Dragon Boat Festival, but one of the city's most beloved sports, and a new driver of local cultural tourism and creative industries.

Dragon boat racing is a traditional celebration during the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival and celebrated across China on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It falls on May 31 this year. But in Fuzhou, Dragon boat has become a cultural landmark and sports activity that goes beyond the festival.

A Dragon Boat Theme Park in Fuzhou's Cangshan District officially opened to the public recently, presenting elements of Fuzhou's traditional dragon boat in every detail. The park entrance features a 32-meter-long, streamlined orange arch shaped like a dragon boat. Inside the park, visitors are greeted by six dragon-boat figurehead sculptures, dragon boat paddle-shaped road signs, and other elements reflecting Fuzhou's dragon boat tradition.

The Dragon Boat Culture Museum in the park offers exhibits of historical artifacts, multimedia displays, and interactive installations that showcase Fuzhou's dragon boat heritage and boat-making craftsmanship, drawing the interest of both tourists and locals.

The Puxia River flowing across the park, a well-known site for traditional dragon boat races, is affectionately known as the "Dragon Boat River". On holidays and weekends, dragon boat training sessions and races are held regularly here.

"For people in Fuzhou, dragon boat racing is all about unity. It is also a reflection of our Fuzhou people's hope for a better life," said Yu Shuwei, a local resident.

With races held nearly every week, the local government and community have also launched dragon boat-themed markets. Here a good variety of cultural and creative products are available, such as blind boxes of fridge stickers modeled after dragon boat figureheads, and bookmarks inspired by the willow-leaf paddles, bringing new momentum for cultural consumption and promoting local dragon boat culture in innovative ways.

Fuzhou has further leveraged its dragon boat heritage and extensive inner-city rivers to launch a series of sightseeing cruises, connecting major historical scenic spots with popular shopping and entertainment districts.

"We have introduced a range of river cruise routes, with more than 10 now in operation. One of our cruise ships is inspired by traditional dragon boats, incorporating the design concept with modern green energy. And it is already serving passengers along several lines," introduced Wang Xiaolan, director of the Dragon Boat Theme Park.

According to official data, Fuzhou's river cruises received more than 380,000 visitors in 2024, making inner-river tourism a new growth engine for the city's tourism industry.

Fujian boosts dragon boat tradition with cultural tourism initiative, creative products

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.

In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.

Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.

The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.

Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.

Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.

He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.

He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.

Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation