Dragon boat races across China draw international participants

Dragon boat events are underway across China, from Tianjin's Haihe River to Shenzhen's coastal waters, attracting international participants to celebrate Chinese tradition.

The Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival, falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. This year it began on Friday and runs through Sunday.

In north China's Tianjin, the Haihe River Dragon Boat Race has become an annual festival highlight, with dozens of local teams competing and expatriate employees joining in recent years.

Dragon boat racing has a history in Germany dating back to the 1980s, when the city of Duisburg hosted the country's first such event.

"I've seen it here today the first time. Here in China, it's totally the same -- the same boat, also the drumming and the yelling of the people," said Thomas, staff member of a German company.

The third Frankfurt International Dragon Boat Festival just concluded in Germany on June 14, with a series of traditional Chinese cultural activities attracting many locals and international visitors.

"I really like to experience the festival here. You see all the people racing here, and I think it would be very crowded. I like the atmosphere here on the river, of course, to be with my team together and try to win the race," said a German national working in China who goes by the Chinese name Wu Silan.

Having watched dragon boat races in Germany, Wu Silan developed a keen interest in Chinese culture, and despite his busy work schedule he has never missed a single training session, saying the sport has inspired him with valuable lessons.

"We're German. We're Chinese. We're women; We're men. I think it's good to be together and have one goal. And work is same like a sport. Only when you have one direction in the team and everybody works together, you go forward," he said.

In south China's Shenzhen, a distinctive coastal water dragon boat race was held at Nan'ao Moon Bay. For the first time, the event brought together students from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies to form an international team.

A series of activities, including intangible cultural heritage performances and spin-off cultural product markets, were also held during the race, injecting new international vitality into the traditional event.

Heritage performances and cultural markets ran alongside the race, giving the traditional event fresh international appeal.

Dragon boat races across China draw international participants

Iran's Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said on Monday that the first round of high-level talks between the U.S. and Iran in Switzerland had significantly advanced efforts to release frozen Iranian assets, while the U.S. side suggested the funds could be channeled toward American farm exports.

Hemmati told the country's semi-official Tasnim News Agency that "significant progress" had been made on the asset releases, with the relevant documents signed during the negotiations.

Referring to the unfreezing of the central bank's overseas assets as one of the most complex items on the agenda, the central bank chief said the funds will be phased into use in the coming days, in accordance with conditions and procedures established by the bank.

Regarding the export of oil and petroleum products, Hemmati said the two parties have agreed that the Office of Foreign Assets Control under the U.S. Treasury Department will be responsible for sanctions waivers for Iranian oil and petrochemical shipments.

After the U.S. and Iran held high-level talks at Switzerland's Burgenstock resort, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Monday that if the U.S. agreed to unfreeze Iranian assets, the funds could be used to purchase American soybeans, corn and wheat.

Iran reports significant progress on asset unfreezing as US eyes agricultural exports