The traditional methods of preserving old dragon boats in south China's Guangdong Province demonstrate the wisdom of the old Chinese people and the profoundness of the dragon boat culture.
The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar to commemorate ancient Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan (about 340-278 BC). The festival falls on May 31 this year.
The old-style dragon boats in Guangdong, made of wood, are used for traditional parades and races during the festival.
Following the festival every year, the villagers hide the old dragon boats in the mud at the bottom of the water, so as to isolate it from air and sunlight, and prevent the wood from drying and aging.
The old dragon boats are retrieved before the festival next year. After clearing the mud, carefully polishing, and applying tung oil or lard, they can be brand new for the races and parades.
On May 17, a retrieving ceremony was held for a 593-year-old dragon boat in Foshan City, Guangdong. The old dragon, excluding the head and tail, is 36.8 meters long, has 68 seats and weighs about 4 tons.
In the past, dragon boats were buried in the silt under river for preservation, but now the villagers have made a special bed for the boat, which is a cement hardened base. So now they only need to drain the water when retrieving the boat.
Many citizens and tourists gathered by the river on the day, just to take a look at the old dragon boat, which is believed to bring them good luck during the Dragon Boat Festival in tradition.
Preservation of dragon boat shows wisdom of old Chinese people
China and the European Union (EU) have agreed that it is necessary to provide general guidance on price undertakings for Chinese exporters of passenger battery electric vehicles to the EU, China's commerce ministry said on Monday.
The move aims to address relevant concerns in a more practical, targeted, and consistent manner with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, according to the Ministry of Commerce in a statement.
Accordingly, the European Commission will issue a Guidance Document on Submission of Price Undertaking Offers. In the document, the EU confirms that it will assess each undertaking application under the same legal criteria, in accordance with the principle of non-discrimination and relevant WTO rules, in an objective and fair manner.
The progress fully reflects the spirit of dialogue and the outcomes of consultations between China and the EU. It shows that both China and the EU have the ability and willingness to properly resolve differences through dialogue and consultation within the framework of WTO rules, thereby maintaining the stability of automotive industrial and supply chains in China, the EU, and the whole world. This is conducive not only to ensuring the healthy development of China-EU economic and trade relations, but also to safeguarding the rules-based international trade order, the statement said.
On the same day, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) also issued a statement welcoming the positive outcome of the consultations.
The CCCME noted that eligible Chinese EV makers may now submit price undertaking applications in accordance with the EU's guidance, and the European Commission has pledged to review all applications objectively, fairly, and under uniform standards.
The proper settlement of this case meets the shared expectations of industries along the EV supply chain in both China and Europe. It will help ensure the security and stability of related industrial and supply chains and safeguard the broader China-EU economic and trade relationship, the CCCME said.
The chamber expressed appreciation for the substantial efforts made by China's Ministry of Commerce in defending the interests of the domestic industry. It also pledged to encourage and support relevant Chinese enterprises in making full use of the consultation outcomes to protect their interests in exporting to the EU and promote healthy cooperation between the industries of both sides.
China, EU agree on price undertaking guidance for Chinese electric vehicle exporters: commerce ministry
